The LPL World Championship qualification match for the third seed has concluded. IG unfortunately lost 1:3 against Top Esports, with TES securing the third world spot. After this defeat, IG can only move to the losers' bracket to compete for the fourth seed against the winner of WBG and JDG. Given their current form, IG's chances of making Worlds are slim, as they are likely to lose against both Weibo and JDG.

The outcome of IG’s winners bracket BO5 was actually predictable because we said before the match that if Rookie’s form remained like in the playoffs, IG winning even one game would be a success. However, the mid lane really struggled: in all four games, Rookie was at a disadvantage in lane and couldn’t stand out in any match. In the final game, with Lulu picked for mid in a meta where mid carries are crucial, it was really hard to hold on.

In the first game, Ryze lost HP before the 8-minute Scuttle fight, causing IG to lose resources and first blood to JKL. Ryze’s quick rotations and smart map movements were never seen throughout the match. In the second game, Galio did coordinate well with Wei early on, but the team fights were chaotic. Rookie kept hoping teammates would follow up on his ultimate, but by the time it landed, they were already dead, forcing him to retreat at full health.

The third game showed the biggest mid lane gap. Within three minutes, Rookie was forced back to base. After teleporting back, the camera showed him nearly dead again. If Meiko hadn’t come to assist, the mid lane would have definitely collapsed. During team fights, the mid lane Lulu was ineffective, relying solely on the top laner’s effort. In the final game, Danny realized mid lane couldn’t carry, so he gave Rookie Lulu, but in this meta, Lulu really doesn’t bring much.

Watching the whole series, it’s clear that no mid laner worse than Rookie appeared in the play-ins. Even Scout can show his face in winning games and occasionally make plays in losing ones. Rookie, however, was invisible the entire time. Though IG lost, the blame can’t fall solely on the mid lane; the other teammates were also underperforming and dying frequently. TheShy stepped up once, but overall his performance was just average.

Danny’s draft for the fourth game was rather shocking. Facing the enemy’s Jarvan, he picked Miss Fortune and put Lulu mid. While the idea of going late game is understandable, Miss Fortune lacks late-game strength. Even picking Zoe would have offered some hope. Against Jarvan, Miss Fortune has almost no room to maneuver. Perhaps Danny wanted Gwen to carry, but Gwen needs to dive the backline in fights, and Lulu cannot keep up with that.

So the final composition was a complete mess. If I were to guess, Danny was frustrated because the drafts in games two and three were quite decent, but IG still couldn’t win. The upcoming BO5 against Weibo and JDG is IG’s last chance; if they lose, they miss Worlds and end their S15 journey. Now is the time for serious review and to identify the team’s problems.

The priority for the bot lane must be raised. Picking unfavorable lane matchups every game has shown it just can’t win. With Rookie’s poor mid lane form, the priority can be lowered there. No matter what champion is picked, Rookie can’t outperform the opponent, so it’s better to sacrifice for the team. If necessary, play utility champions like Annie, Orianna, or Galio to protect the backline in team fights.

In conclusion:

With IG in this state, facing Weibo and JDG feels like an impossible task. Despite the long offseason, they only prepared for TES and showed no targeted strategies. The players’ form remains poor, and the coach seems frustrated. With this level, making Worlds looks very difficult.

So, who do you think is most responsible for IG’s problems?

Feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion!