In the third phase of the LPL group stage, the first round of the summit group is about to conclude. After nearly half a month of competition, TLB has topped the standings with a record of 6-1. BLG has not lost a single game in their first five matches, currently sitting in second place on the points table. After a surprising loss to FPX, IG is gradually regaining form with a 4-2 record, placing them third in the standings. Weibo, despite some ups and downs, has managed a decent performance at 3-3, ranking fourth.

These four teams represent the pinnacle of LPL's competitive strength. AL, who also participated in MSI and the Oil Cup, has shown a continuous decline in performance without any roster changes. In their last match against IG, AL suffered a 0-2 defeat, with Rookie making critical mistakes. This "full crown" team now raises concerns about their current strength, as they are unable to even secure a full three-game series.

Let’s briefly review this BO3 to identify AL's issues. In the first match, their bot lane was overwhelmed. After Gaja secured Yuanna, he achieved a double kill within six minutes, starting the game 3-0. Gaja's incredible output in team fights led IG to win the first game with a score of 18-2-6. This match clearly demonstrated that AL's bot lane skills are insufficient when facing strong opponents.

In this match, Gaja's Yuanna achieved the first pentakill globally. Throughout his career, Gala has recorded a total of ten pentakills, including one at MSI, one at LDL, and the remaining eight in the LPL. His pentakill count ranks first in LPL history, and IG's motto of "never pentakill" seems to have been broken, as no one tried to steal it from Gaja when he was about to secure his pentakill.

In the second game against IG, the top lane's old pig became the breakthrough point. TheShy's Rumble gained an advantage in lane, while Wei's Jarvan IV continuously ganked the top, securing two tower dives to help TheShy establish dominance. Honestly, such scenes have been rare since Ning's retirement. Wei showed great awareness, recognizing Rookie's subpar performance and directly assisting the top lane, which TheShy capitalized on without letting his teammate down.

After watching both games, it’s clear that AL's biggest issue lies in their early laning phase. Shanks struggled to gain an advantage against Rookie despite facing an opponent in poor form, which is clearly abnormal. Additionally, in both lanes, Hope was killed in lane, and the old pig was caught out, resulting in at least one lane being problematic while the other lacked an advantage. During such times, the jungler also finds it difficult to contribute, as they can't provide any help.

Tarzan had a really tough time; he couldn't win his lane, control resources, or provide assistance. He could only farm jungle monsters while waiting for team fights. If AL could ensure that two lanes were at least even, their results wouldn't be so poor. If it were a matter of draft or strategy, the coach could adjust accordingly. However, the disparity in players' raw skills leaves the coach with no solutions, as even using strong champions wouldn't yield results.

After losing to IG, AL has yet to face any of the top four teams in the third phase; their only previous win was against JDG. Shanks claimed that AL was back, but it seems he only learned a fraction of Bin's prowess. When BLG claimed they were back, they had a winning streak. AL's single win has led them back to square one, feeling as if they have returned to last summer when they couldn't win against anyone.

Conclusion:

As the strongest team in the second phase of LPL, everyone expected AL to become stronger after the mid-season and Oil Cup experiences. However, after facing LCK teams, they not only failed to improve but have instead become weaker. Shanks tried to imitate Bin but failed to learn anything useful, while gaining some experience in deception.

So, do you think AL still has a chance to make it into the top four?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!