The first stage of the LPL group matches has officially begun. On the previous match day, the four teams in the Summit Group made their season debuts. The opening match featured WBG against IG, going the full three games. In the end, WBG secured the opening win. IG played well in the first game, but their performance declined in the following two. Rookie might have had too long a break and hasn’t yet adapted to the pace, showing a noticeably cautious playstyle.

Photic in the bot lane was underestimated from the start. Across all three games, he was outperformed by ELK, consistently falling behind in lane, and his teamfight execution was inferior. The biggest gap showed in the second game where ELK single-handedly dominated, achieving a magnificent 19-0-7 scoreline. Who would have thought that the AD player IG’s fans disliked during the transfer window would come back to equal the highest kill record for an AD in a single match this season? This “underdog” has truly transformed into a giant.

Among the five IG players, the one who tried the hardest was actually Soboro, the rookie who just joined LPL. He performed really well, but unfortunately, his teammates held him back. Looking at the whole match, Rookie definitely needs to find his form. Being a veteran, his performance was overshadowed by Xiaohu, who played much better. If Rookie continues like this for a few more matches, his starting spot might be at risk, especially since the temporary substitute mid laner from the Demacia Cup remains on the roster as a backup.

Another match on the same day was JDG versus Top Esports, a highly anticipated battle. However, Top Esports’ strength is even weaker than IG’s. Without their star player, TES looked like JDG’s toy, getting thoroughly beaten. The combined match duration of the two games was less than an hour, essentially a speed run. Calling it a bot match wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Except for Yuyanjia, who showed some impact in the second game, the rest underperformed badly.

Jiaqi, who replaced JKL, was also completely outclassed by Gazi, just like Photic. From laning phase to teamfights, his performance was poor. JDG’s AD secured a pentakill with Yuyanja in the first game of the season. Meanwhile, Top Esports’ AD struggled in lane and contributed little in fights, performing similarly to Photic. Moreover, the new jungle and support duo didn’t live up to expectations, getting dominated in both games. Watching this, one can only say the gap is huge.

Top Esports only had Yuyanjia putting in real effort, which highlights how weak their overall strength is. Kanavi was heavily criticized after last year’s World Championship, but Yuyanjia’s performance in this match helped clear his name. Despite his poor Worlds showing, Kanavi’s league performance is flawless. A capable jungler makes a real difference for the team’s feedback. The top laner 369 was also assimilated, showing an average performance. With this version of Top Esports, achieving good results seems difficult.

That said, with major changes in the new season’s meta, everyone is still exploring, adapting, and learning. The four teams participating in the debut all have roster changes and their synergy isn’t fully developed yet. There’s room for growth and it might take a few more matches to reveal their true level. However, Top Esports’ lineup really feels hopeless. Although the return of their top laner will boost strength, the jungle position definitely needs a change.

The current meta places great emphasis on the bot lane duo. Since AD carries scale well into the late game with multiple items, teams with strong AD carries have high ceilings. IG and TES have noticeably weak bot lanes, so their playstyle will likely need to focus more on the top, mid, and jungle. The next three matches are also very exciting: IG faces AL back-to-back, and WBG will compete against BLG. Both opponents are formidable, so it will be interesting to see if ELK can lead his team to defeat his former club this time.

Conclusion:

Judging by Rookie’s debut, he actually performed worse than the Demacia Cup rookie Renard. However, veterans usually regain form quickly, so there’s no need to worry too much. If his form really declines due to age, IG still has backup options. The next match against AL will be tough, and even if IG loses, they should learn something valuable. But the most anticipated clash remains WBG versus BLG.

So, what do you think? Where does Top Esports rank among the teams now?

Feel free to leave your thoughts and join the discussion!