Finn on CLG’s Summer woes: “It’s disgusting… everything we do just feels so random”

This Counter Logic Gaming roster will “never accomplish anything” if they don’t band together and solve their problems, star top laner Finn “Finn” Wiestal has declared, as the floundering LCS org’s backroom staff prepares to reshuffle its League of Legends lineup.

CLG have struggled to string two wins together so far in LCS 2021, and the once-great organization now finds itself adrift of playoffs in equal ninth place.

It’s been a shocking capitulation for a League of Legends roster many were tipping as a surprise contender ahead of Spring. CLG had managed to lure European stars Finn and Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen to pair with four-time champ Jason “WildTurtle” Tran, fresh off back-to-back 2020 grand final appearances.

Instead, their LoL roster has won just 10 games ⁠— three of them on the same June weekend ⁠— and their slide doesn’t look set to end anytime soon either.

Speaking to Dexerto, the Swede did little to sugarcoat it either.

“Every day it feels like we take one step forward, then two steps back, all of the time… we solve one issue, put the cork in one hole, then suddenly there’s two other holes that pop up in the boat,” Finn said after CLG’s 26th loss on Sunday.

“That game against Dignitas, especially, it was disgusting.

“There’s a lot of problems. We can’t consistently finish out games where we’re ahead, we can’t consistently come back in games where we’re behind. So, what can we do? Everything feels so random, everything. It feels like we’re always waiting ⁠— no, relying ⁠— on the enemy to mess up, rather than our good plays.

“Our trajectory right now is very ominous and dreading. It’s not going in the right direction. We really need… I really need to do better.”

Following the team’s 1–2 weekend, CLG staff have moved to make a change. General manager Daniel “Tafokints” Lee told the playing group “this might be the last we have this roster of five playing” in a social media video.

“I’m going to be upfront,” he said. “I’m looking at roster swaps. It’s been over two months, we’re not really progressing. So there’s very likely going to be changes.”

The top-level LCS playing roster will likely draw from their CLG Academy team. The development roster is currently 0–6–6 in Summer, and sits dead last with a 6–18 overall game record. They recently finished 13-16th at Proving Grounds.

Not every CLG player believes swaps will work, however.

Finn spoke on the possibility of roster swaps before the controversial CLG video was released (and then later deleted), but his stance on swapping and patching their League of Legends roster was clear: it “won’t solve anything.”

“No, this isn’t a one-person problem. It’s a five-person problem, the whole team. No matter who is playing, what really needs to change is the mindset,” he said.

“Our mindset is just… it’s a real thorn in the side, and that’s what really needs to be fixed. Sure, you can choose different champions, different players, as band-aids, but we really need to get the roots and cut them up. Anyone can step up and change this, but no one of us have so far. That’s what we really need to change.

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“Yeah, I don’t think it’s a one-person problem at all. That isn’t going to fix it,” he continued. “I don’t think roster changes will make any difference to this team.”

Instead, Finn believes the best solution will come from the players already in the CLG  playing roster. Together they boast nearly 2,200 pro appearances; if there is a solution, the five-man group “should be able to figure it out.”

Finn knows what he’d like to see too: “I want to see us do whatever we think is right as a team. Commit as a team. Every play, it should be five people included… When people start to make individual plays, the team collapses. Team cohesion, being synchronized, that’s it, it’s the best thing to do. Otherwise, we just bleed out.”

For now, at least, Finn says he must just look inwards.

“I’m keeping my routines good. Exercise, meditation, practice. Always try to bring my A-game, play the best that I can. It’s like, you know on the planes, they say you have to put your masks on before you can help others. That’s what I can do.

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“Right now, I feel like I’m not doing that, so that’s my focus. If I can get back to my highest level, then I can help the team. That’s all I can do right now, I believe.”