AL's counterproductive strengthening in the second stage

As the LPL's standout international performer last year, many LPL fans hoped AL would strengthen its roster well in the new season, aiming to help LPL win world championship glory in Season S16. However, AL's moves during the transfer period left many LPL fans speechless. For instance, AL let go of the top domestic coach Tabe and retained the widely recognized weak-link AD player Hope. Many viewers believed AL was abandoning its S16 championship hopes, and reality matched their predictions: AL failed to even reach the top three in the first stage.

After AL's poor performance in the first stage, the management still refused to change players. Instead, they fired the first stage's best coach Helper and hired coach Bigwei, whom BLG didn't want. This "strengthening" move baffled many AL fans, with some even suspecting internal sabotage within AL management, as there was no other explanation for signing Bigwei. With the LPL second stage underway, AL sits near the bottom with a 1-2 record, especially after being crushed by JDG, prompting many fans to call for a coaching change.

"Empty rhetoric" sparks fan outrage

AL fans dislike Bigwei mainly because his in-game drafting and post-match analysis are terribly poor. Viewers who watched AL's matches know that AL often picks compositions with disadvantageous lanes, leading to Tarzan's jungle collapse. Bigwei's post-match reviews elevate "empty rhetoric" to an art form. From AL's official videos, his comments offer no practical value.It's hard to imagine that just changing a coach turned AL from first in the regular season in Stage 1 to its current state.

In the post-match interview after AL vs JDG, Bigwei again showcased his "empty rhetoric," frustrating many AL fans. When asked why AL's form was so poor, Bigwei said AL constantly faces problems, old ones unresolved while new ones emerge, and he hoped AL could solve them sooner. Bigwei's blame-taking ability is strong though; he admitted in the interview that AL lost to JDG because his drafting wasn't as good as JDG's.

LPL champion top-laner switches to civil service exam!

Recently, it was discovered that former LPL Spring Split champion top-laner 957 applied for a civil service examination. According to the admission criteria, 957 fully meets the requirements—he graduated from a vocational college and holds LPL championship honors. Many netizens joked that this is a "tailored position" just for 957. In his livestream, 957 revealed he saw the notice on a social platform, applied in the afternoon after seeing it in the morning, and found his qualifications perfectly matched.

After 957 applied, many LPL commentators joked about it during streams. For example, Miller asked if his commentator cup championship qualified him to apply. Others wondered if 957 would continue as a commentator, since if he succeeds in the exam, he likely won't have time for LPL commentary. (Do you think 957 will switch careers? Given LPL's declining popularity, 957 might face rapid unemployment.)

Conclusion

It's unclear if AL manager Aixiao regrets hiring coach Bigwei now. In Stage 1, AL collapsed in playoffs but at least was first in regular season; after Bigwei arrived, AL suffered two consecutive losses even before facing BLG. Some viewers argue AL's losses aren't all the coach's fault, as the players' lane performance is problematic: top-laner SaintGun "feeds" every match, while bot-lane Hope can't carry even with resources. How should AL change to stage a comeback?