Introduction: The S16 season has officially begun, and most fans have been closely following the recent matches. The LPL playoffs are intense, with only four teams remaining to compete for the final MSI spots. TES, WE, AL, and BLG will face off to determine which two teams advance to international competition. In recent games, JDG's performance has shocked many fans, especially their AD player Gala. It's unclear whether it's due to health issues or poor form, but he has become the AD who saves Flash the most in the LPL—holding onto it all the way to the third stage. During an interview, Bin surprisingly stated that public opinion has no effect on him and that losing to Western teams at Worlds was due to the patch.

LPL's flash-hoarding AD

Most fans are familiar with AD player Gala, a top-tier professional in the LPL. Over the years, his popularity and influence have remained stable, with many netizens calling him the strongest domestic AD in the league—a reputation that has been elevated quite high. In the second stage, JDG performed reasonably well with a rookie lineup, securing a top-four position in the LPL. However, when competing with BLG for a spot, issues arose, especially with Gala's increasingly erratic gameplay.

Throughout the match, mid-laner Hongq was clearly outmatched by Knight—there's a significant gap between an 18-year-old rookie and a seasoned veteran who has competed on the world stage. For Hongq, performing at this level is already a success, and he still has a long career ahead. In contrast, Gala was the biggest problem. From the first game, his rhythm was off; his Ezreal frequently got killed in teamfights. As a top AD, he could easily have used Flash to dodge Jarvan's EQ combos. Even many co-streamers mocked him for appearing to never use Flash in an entire game.

The last game with Jhin was similar: when enemies approached, he didn't retreat, and after being knocked back, he used a death Flash. Many netizens joked that JDG only has three types of Flash: no Flash, wall Flash, and death Flash. After the match, industry insiders revealed JDG's future plans: despite failing to qualify for MSI, they likely won't change the roster. The same lineup will compete in the third stage, but because they only reached the top six, the coaches and players will face significant salary and bonus cuts. Honestly, this roster doesn't need major adjustments—if they're in good form, they definitely have potential.

The most interesting part was an interview with Bin. Recently, he was fined 150,000 for rule violations, and his online reputation has suffered. He responded by saying that public opinion doesn't affect his life or matches—he just does what he wants. He then claimed that finishing 16th in S15 was due to the patch being unfavorable for top laners, limiting his performance, along with a bit of bad luck and some mistakes. Honestly, last season's Worlds performance was just poor—they couldn't even beat Western teams with favorable draws. There's no excuse for that.

In my opinion,

No one expected Gala's form to be this bad. Although he issued an apology after the match, many fans still don't understand, with some even asking if he was ill during the competition. The next three matches will become increasingly intense. My bold prediction for the LPL's MSI spots is TES and BLG. No matter how well WE plays, they can't possibly beat BLG twice, right? Besides, after this break, the dopamine rush has already subsided.

What do you all think about this situation?