In the third phase of LPL, after entering the third week, all 14 teams have completed 3-5 matches. The disparity in strength within the Nirvana group is quite evident. After EDG changed their support player, they quickly became the leader of the Nirvana group, leading the standings with a 4-0 record, just a step away from the Knights' path. LNG and UP have yet to win a single match, and if things go as expected, these two teams will be eliminated in the first round, leaving the other four teams to advance to the Knights' path.

The only teams maintaining a perfect record in the Summit group are T1 and BLG. After these two teams made roster changes during the transfer period, they have indeed shown results. If nothing unexpected happens, they should be the major players in this new phase. AL and JDG have been struggling lately, both with a 1-2 record and continuing to underperform. The only team in the Summit group yet to secure their first victory is WE, who were the dark horse in the previous phase but are now experiencing a significant decline in performance.

WE has played a total of 5 matches; aside from being swept 2-0 by IG, they have gone the distance in the remaining matches, all of which were best-of-three. However, they have not won a single game, currently sitting at the bottom of the group with a 0-5 record. In the last phase's playoffs, WE had previously defeated JDG and TES in best-of-five matches, earning the title of the strongest dark horse. Without any roster changes, it's surprising that they now seem to have no hope of even securing their first win in this new phase.

The reason for WE's consecutive losses seems to be the excessive pressure from the jungler on his teammates. During the post-match voice chat after facing IG, Monki was present and criticized the AD for being too passive: "When playing Graves, you need to fight. How can we win in the late game like this?" Vampire explained that the mid-lane was blown up, but Monki still didn't listen and began reviewing the match on the spot, leaving the AD frustrated and saying, "I don't feel like talking anymore."

In the post-match video shared by WE, Monki was quite aggressive, constantly criticizing his teammates and leaving the coach speechless. If he performed well and was consistently let down by teammates, venting his emotions would be understandable. However, in recent matches, Monki's own performance has also been poor. In the critical team fight of the third game against AL, he charged into the enemy team alone, leading to their loss.

With an overly aggressive personality and a tendency to criticize others, Monki has put too much pressure on his teammates during matches. Many WE fans and casual viewers can’t stand it anymore, and various negative reports about him have surfaced. Monki's reputation has plummeted, prompting his agent, Han Yi, to attempt to defend him recently, stating: "People say there's a lack of new talent in LOL, but I often wonder if we are doing enough to protect these new generation players?"

Originally intending to help restore the player's reputation, Han Yi ended up getting criticized himself because he had previously criticized other players as well. Being lenient with oneself while strict with others makes it hard to expect understanding from the audience. Monki’s foul mouth has been well-known for a long time; during his time at EDG, he even criticized Meiko. Doinb recently revealed during a stream that both he and LWX had also been criticized by Monki.

In the previous phase's playoffs, when WE faced T1, in the fifth game of the solo match, after Monki defeated 369, he casually said "FW," showing a complete lack of respect for his senior. This behavior has long been a precursor to his declining reputation. Han Yi himself is not clean either, and it’s unlikely he can clear Monki’s name. It's normal for young people to be passionate, but at the very least, they should understand the importance of respect. Monki still has a lot to learn.

Conclusion:

The biggest taboo in matches is when teammates get mentally affected on-site. If you don't perform well, go home and review the match to identify and resolve the issues together. While the matches are still ongoing, starting to nitpick and criticize teammates is unbearable. It’s no wonder there are conflicts and disputes. Currently, the atmosphere within WE is quite poor, and it seems Monki needs to tone it down a bit.

So, do you think criticizing teammates during matches affects their mindset?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!