Introduction: The S16 season has officially begun, and the vast majority of players have been following the recent clashes closely. The first stage of the LPL has been extremely intense. WBG, a fully Chinese roster team that many fans pay close attention to, has shown significant fluctuations in performance recently. After losing two consecutive matches, many players feel the team is falling apart. The mid laner, Xiaohu, has become the center of online discussions. As a veteran player, he has become the team's weak point, making numerous mistakes. Many netizens jokingly say Xiaohu is the sole victim of the format change. The Spring Tiger Emperor has completely vanished without the Spring Split.

The sole victim of the LPL format change

Most players are quite familiar with the WBG team. As a veteran powerhouse in the LPL region, they have undergone major roster overhauls during every transfer window in recent years. This season was no exception—they directly acquired AD carry ELK to build a top-tier, all-Chinese lineup. During the Demacia Cup, their performance was unstable and they were eliminated early, leading many to suspect it was intentional. However, after the first stage began, their results fluctuated again: they started strong but then suffered consecutive losses.

The match against TES became a hot topic for many players' jokes. Logically, there is a significant skill gap between the two teams. Based on lineup composition alone, WBG should be far ahead. TES currently only has their top and mid laners holding up; the other positions have completely collapsed. Yet, this team managed to defeat the top-tier all-Chinese WBG. Moreover, Xiaohu in mid lane was utterly crushed, showing no effective plays over several games and being completely controlled by Xiaonaiyou. After the match, many players discussed Xiaohu's recent form.

Fans widely believe Xiaohu is the only casualty of the LPL format change. Previously, he was known as the Spring Tiger Emperor; whenever the Spring Split began, his form would rapidly improve, transforming him into a top professional player who led his team to successive victories and even LPL championships. He also won MSI titles in both mid and top lane during spring seasons. Since last season, with the Spring Split becoming the first stage, Xiaohu has suffered a massive decline. It could also be due to aging, as few pros maintain peak form like Faker.

WBG is about to face another strong opponent, AL team. This match will be their proving ground. If they get crushed again, WBG's first stage will completely collapse. AL and BLG are likely to become the winners of the LPL first stage and participate in the global Vanguard tournament. Honestly, it's hard to understand this team. Individually, each player is competent, but combined, there is no chemistry. Every member seems to have their own ideas, lacking a clear leader, which results in many flaws during team fights.

Farewell thoughts

During the Demacia Cup, many discussed that WBG and BLG were saving strength. Almost all players believed these two teams would explode in the first stage. As a result, BLG took the lead with consecutive wins, while WBG was repeatedly crushed. The team manager is probably about to get scolded again. Hopefully, everyone can give them some time; maybe they will find better synergy later.

What do you, dear viewers, think about this situation?