The third stage of the LPL play-in tournament is finally about to kick off. Ahead of the matches, a netizen made a playoff data comparison between the two teams. Regarding neutral resources, IG’s control rate of the first dragon and Rift Herald is somewhat higher than TES’s, but IG falls behind TES in controlling the first Baron and Rift Scuttler. This contrast reveals that IG rarely gains early leads, mostly securing dragons through exchanges.

Regarding team vision, IG is completely outclassed by TES across all fronts. This might be due to IG’s two BO5 losses being swept quickly, leaving no chance to establish vision later on. Furthermore, in terms of coordination frequency between top, mid, bot lanes, and jungle, IG lags severely except for jungle-support synergy. This meta heavily favors mid-jungle cooperation, but the closeness between Wei and Rookie is noticeably low, which could cause IG to struggle in 2v2 jungle skirmishes during the play-in stage.

ELK sends encouragement to Wei for the play-in tournament

From the data perspective, IG indeed has many gaps compared to TES. This battle for the third seed is quite tough to win. In a recent interview, ELK was asked to predict the Worlds teams. He felt TES has a better chance at the third seed, while the fourth seed is open to anyone. When asked who he’d cheer for in the play-in, ELK said: “Feels like there are many teammates, so I hope everyone performs well.”

JDG has Xun, IG has Wei, WBG has Breath; ELK hopes whichever of them secures the fourth seed can defeat T1 in the play-in to reach the main event. This shoutout to Wei is genuinely meaningful. ELK has shown significant growth in recent interviews, with flawless remarks. Coupled with his third-stage championship, his reputation has greatly improved.

Ning: Danny is no match for Zhu Kai

Former IG champion jungler Ning recently gave a sharp critique of IG’s coaching staff during a livestream. He believes the coaching team isn’t the best fit because when there are two coaches, one must play the “bad cop” and the other the “good cop” for the team to grow quickly. Currently, IG feels more like a loving family, but in pro play, respect alone isn’t enough; someone has to hold players accountable.

If post-match reviews are all laughs and smiles, players won’t take issues seriously. But when someone criticizes them, those reviews leave a deeper impression. Ning even brought up Zhu Kai, saying: Zhu Kai is probably stronger than Danny because at least he delivers passionate speeches. Though this may be a bit harsh, IG has had many problems all year that remain unresolved.

TL announces Impact’s departure

The three LTA region Worlds teams (FLY, VKS, 100) have been confirmed. This year, TL, where Impact plays, failed to qualify for the LTA Championship due to their low playoff ranking, meaning they won’t appear at Worlds. Recently, TL officially announced that top laner Impact is leaving the team. The 30-year-old veteran, after many years in North America, might be stepping away from professional play.

Impact responded in a post saying he’s conflicted about whether to continue competing, transition to coaching, or pursue a completely different path. He’s not ready to give up playing yet, so there might still be a chance to see him compete next year. However, he feels he needs some time to reflect and prepare for what’s next. His final decision will depend on news during the LTA transfer window.

Conclusion:

When Ning says Danny is no match for Zhu Kai, he’s not criticizing coaching skills but rather the pressure applied to players during post-match reviews—that is, the lack of tough love. Honestly, no one in the LPL seems better than Zhu Kai in this regard. Though his in-game understanding is only at bronze level, his ability to apply pressure and boost morale is truly unique.

What do you think about ELK cheering for Wei?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!