AL’s incompatibility with the current meta causes widespread discussion.

As the only LPL team representing the region internationally last year, many fans regard AL as the premier squad in LPL. Numerous viewers think that even the powerhouse BLG cannot rival AL, since AL’s roster has been practicing together for a full year, while BLG’s lineup was just formed during the transfer period. Many fans had high hopes that AL would lead LPL to a world championship this season. However, as the new season progresses, many have noticed that AL’s playstyle does not fit well with the current meta.

Since the LPL officially banned lane swapping tactics during matches, many believe the new season belongs to top laners. The early dragon nerfs have made top lane priority crucial in this meta, and every turret now has an additional shield. If the top laner is strong enough, they can carry the team economically in the mid-to-late game by split-pushing.

The removal of lane swaps also means AL’s jungle and support can no longer dictate the early game pace as they did last year. Fans who have watched AL’s matches know that if AL’s jungle and support are silent early on, AL tends to be pushed back by their opponents. Although AL’s jungle and support still perform well in mid-game teamfights, the laning skills of AL’s players are lacking. Against BLG and JDG, players on all three lanes made mistakes, resulting in a significant early deficit that AL couldn’t overcome.

Is Huxi going to replace Saint?

AL’s top laner Saint gained massive popularity last year thanks to the lane swap meta, known for sacrificing his own farm to help teammates in fights. This selfless style earned him many fans’ admiration, with some calling him the strongest domestic top laner in LPL. However, with the arrival of the new LOL patch, Saint’s sacrificial approach has become ineffective, and many viewers now see him as a liability to AL’s team composition.

Fans watching AL’s recent games have noticed that while the bot lane’s Hope is decent in laning, the champion top laner Saint frequently struggles. He allowed BIN to farm a monstrous Rumble, and JDG’s top laner Xiao Xu achieved an 11-0 record against him. Many fans feel that with Saint’s poor laning form, AL’s chances of leading LPL to a championship in the future are slim, as it’s nearly impossible for Saint to regain his peak laning strength given his age.

Because Saint’s laning often enables opponents to become “monsters,” many LPL fans are now discussing potential roster changes for AL. Industry insiders previously revealed that coach Tabe left due to dissatisfaction with a certain AL player. Judging by AL’s recent performance, it’s very likely that Saint was the player Tabe was unhappy with. Some fans even suggest that AL management should consider replacing Saint with Huxi at top lane. Although Huxi isn’t strong in teamfights, his laning skills are relatively solid.