PSG Talon Preview showcases the strongest staff of the Play-In Stage – can they make it to the Major Occasion as nicely?
There’s solely someday left of the 2023 League of Legends World Championship’s first section, the Play-In Stage. 4 groups have already stated goodbye to the competitors, with Movistar R7 and DetonatioN FocusMe getting knocked out on October thirteenth, and LOUD and CTBC Flying Oyster following them house on the day after. There are 4 groups nonetheless within the run for the Swiss Stage – and amongst them is PSG Talon, one of many strongest groups of the batch.
PSG Talon Preview
PSG Talon Group Historical past
PSG Talon grew to become a family identify within the worldwide scene and a monster domestically after their 2020 inception. The staff which got here to be after Talon Esports and soccer staff Paris Saint-Germain entered a partnership has gained each single PCS Playoff of the final 3 years bar from two: the 2020 Summer season Playoffs, which was the primary one they attended after becoming a member of the league; and the 2022 Summer season Playoffs, the place they failed to search out their footing after some roster adjustments.
In addition they attended virtually each worldwide occasion that the PCS received an invited to. They had been there on the 2020, 2021 and now the 2023 World Championship, and competed within the final 3 Mid-Season Invitationals. Their largest achievement was in 2021, the place they managed to make it to the quarterfinals of the MSI – however couldn’t get by means of Royal By no means Give Up within the Playoffs.
This 12 months, they gained each Common Seasons and Playoffs of their area however couldn’t get as far within the MSI as they did years in the past. They beat DFM and LOUD in Group B of the Playoffs, and confronted Golden Guardians within the Final Probability Qualifier, however might rating a single level towards them. Fortunately for PSG, GG by no means made it to Worlds after their 0-3 end within the Worlds Qualifying Collection.
PSG Talon Roster
Huang “Azhi” Shang-Jhih
Yu “JunJia” Chun-Chia
Huang “Maple” Yi-Tang
Tsou “Wako” Wei-Yang
Lin “Woody” Yu-En
PSG Talon Playstyle
PSG Talon has an extremely robust early recreation, the place they excel at every part. They will get leads by means of macro performs and turret platings, get the primary Drake and Herald, however they’re additionally not afraid to combat their opponents – and beat them, as their excessive Okay/D earlier than 14 minutes present.
They’ve the second-best early Gold Lead quantity within the Worlds simply behind G2 Esports, whereas additionally the second-best Okay/D@14, solely crushed by their compatriots CTBC Flying Oyster (who’re out of the competitors). All 5 of their gamers have good early video games, getting farm and plating leads usually to snowball into the midgame. Their jungle, JunJia is probably the most excellent on this regard, who has the very best GD@14 out of all junglers attending Worlds.
Along with their robust early recreation, their late recreation can be good, as they have a tendency to focus Drakes arduous – regardless that the staff hardly ever performs round Wako. In addition they die the least quantity of any Worlds staff, however are inclined to decelerate within the later recreation, solely choosing fights when wanted. This will generally flip right into a weak spot, as they’re susceptible to play a bit slower than they need to in comparison with their gold leads.
Whereas JunJia, Maple and Wako are distinctive gamers, there’s no true standout among the many members of PSG Talon. Woody has the very best KP of all Worlds 2023 helps, and Azhi had some unimaginable video games on Rumble to this point, so anybody may very well be a participant to observe for this staff. One issues for certain, after JunJia or Woody engages, the staff makes nice collapses onto their opponents, getting deciding victories out of most engagements.
JunJia additionally has a signature choose: Zac. The Secret Weapon was picked by the Taiwanese jungler 2 occasions within the Summer season PCS Break up, nevertheless it’s at all times there if PSG Talon needs to shock their opponents. They did so towards Past Gaming within the Summer season Semifinals, once they picked it in recreation 1 and 4, going 1-1.
Wako deserves a point out, as he’s not the standard AD Carry. He’s fairly self-reliant, because the staff tends to depart him alone within the early recreation to scale whereas they discover different methods to get leads. This relieves strain from Wako, who can scale till some extent the place his picks turn into unstoppable, turning into a real carry for the staff.
PSG Talon have already proved to be among the many better of the very best within the Play-Ins. They beat Movistar R7 and LOUD 2-0 in Bracket A, leaving no room for counterplay. Their subsequent opponent shall be none aside from LEC’s 4th seed, Group BDS, who had their ups and downs even within the quick time the Worlds has been marching on. Can the calm and picked up PSG beat ChAdam and BDS, and be a part of the greats within the Swiss Stage?