As the second week of the LPL’s first stage group matches is coming to a close, on the last match day, EDG from the Resilience group defeated TT 2-1 to secure their second win of the season. TT, having lost all three matches, remains the only team without a win this LPL season. With only six matches in the double round-robin format of the Resilience group, TT’s three consecutive losses mean their Knight’s path likely starts only from the second round, and they might not even make it to the third round.

On the same day, another match featured BLG facing JDG. Both teams have been in great form recently, but BLG’s four consecutive wins gave fans an illusion of invincibility. Before the match, most believed BLG’s fifth straight win was guaranteed, but JDG swept BLG 2-0, handing them their first loss. When Bin beat T1, he mentioned the LPL’s league strength was low and needed to prove itself internationally—this result proved otherwise.

This BO3 series was indeed exciting. In the first game, HongQ quickly solo-killed Knight within just 2 minutes, giving the mid lane an early disadvantage. The bottom lane was also pressured consistently. However, BLG found some rhythm mid-game and even gained an economic lead for a time. Yet, with JDG’s composition of Renekton and Rumble, the late game had no ceiling. After 30 minutes, JDG gained the upper hand, and after a fierce 40-minute battle, BLG ultimately lost.

In the second game, BLG again held an early advantage and led by 5.4K gold at around 20 minutes. Normally, this would secure the win, but Viper performed poorly. His poke-style Varus ran out of mana, dealing almost no damage in team fights. Gala’s Aphelios grew stronger, and BLG’s frontline couldn’t hold. They were ultimately reversed, with the match ending at 35 minutes. Viper’s damage was the third lowest on the field, even less than his own top laner Sion.

Across both games, the only BLG player performing normally was Bin; the other four teammates all had some issues. Bin probably has something to say after the match: he played seriously on top lane, countered his opponent, and still led by 1K gold, yet the outcome was unexpected. BLG’s performance in this BO3 was indeed ugly, especially Viper’s. However, after the game, Viper took the blame, admitting: “My performance was average today, and I lagged far behind JDG’s bot lane.”

In an interview, Daeny revealed some internal team issues: “There were many mistakes today in both games. We disagreed on BP decisions. Honestly, BLG’s BP wasn’t great in these two matches. The first game’s aggressive pressure was too much. Facing Aphelios and Mundo, the late game was tough since Mundo couldn’t tank effectively. If we wanted to fight mid-game, the jungler should have been chosen for more burst.”

The second game’s strategy was similar, aiming to finish mid-game. The composition was better than the first, but the players didn’t execute well, so there’s little to criticize. Daeny might have been experimenting, letting players practice heroes like Rumble and Bard. However, starting experiments before the first round ended seems premature. Both players and coaches have their own ideas, which isn’t ideal; the coach’s guidance should prevail.

Still, losing the lead mid-game in both matches wasn’t mainly the coach’s fault; the players simply underperformed. For BLG, losing one match now is actually beneficial. At least after facing JDG, they can review and find problems. Constant winning might hinder growth. JDG’s recent performance has been excellent, from BP to player execution, with the only improvement needed in the jungler’s discipline.

Conclusion:

When Daeny was with IG, he liked to consult players during BP, and it’s probably the same at BLG. However, differences in opinion between him and the players need serious discussion. Going forward, it must be decided whether player or coach opinions take priority in BP. Personally, I think the coach should have the final say.

So, what do you think is BLG’s biggest issue?

Feel free to leave your comments and join the discussion!