The second stage of the LPL regular season kicks off in just four days. The 14 competing teams have been unveiling their rosters lately. Numerous teams have undergone personnel changes, though the lower-tier ones barely get noticed. For the elite teams, TES and AL's transfers align closely with earlier online rumors: "哥哥" and Tian reunite to form TES 2024, and AL switches to domestic coach Bigwei. These offseason operations for both teams have drawn significant criticism from their supporters.

Tian faces backlash from TES fans, and after Dawei joins, AL fans are also full of complaints. Despite the controversy, change itself is a positive thing. Tian joining TES is definitely a major upgrade; regardless of how he performs later, his early-game tempo is truly flawless. As for Dawei, his impact on AL might be limited. The core issue with this team lies in the players, just as Tabe said: even with perfect drafting, if the players can't execute, it's useless.

IG, which has undergone the most significant personnel changes, has also announced its new roster. The Korean rookie top-laner Soboro hasn't left but will be a substitute for Breathe. The bot lane duo, Photic and Jwei, have both departed. TES might consider Jwei—his aggressive playstyle could synergize well with "哥哥" and yield some positive results. After all, during the first stage, Jwei performed better than Fengyue.

The new bot lane duo consists of TES's Jiaqi and Meiko. In a meta favoring enchanters, Meiko should be quite strong; it all depends on how well they gel. For the mid lane, as rumored online, besides Rookie, the young mid-laner Renard is also on the roster, and he has a 99% chance of starting. Because in IG's official roster announcement graphic, there's a line of very small text stating: Meiko will temporarily serve as captain during the second stage.

Since Rookie returned, he has always been IG's captain. This sudden change suggests Rookie genuinely intends to step back temporarily and find the right moment to return. After the previous breakup incident, public opinion leaned towards Xiao Yu. If Rookie were to play, he'd definitely face criticism. Moreover, Xiao Yu, as an official host, might even interview IG. If they were to face each other, Rookie would be extremely awkward.

Aside from player changes, IG's coaching staff has also undergone a major overhaul. Former coaches Mafa and Kakao have left. Replacing them is Helper, who won Best Coach in the first stage of LPL—yes, the one dismissed by AL. Helper is bringing Kezman along this time. AL failed to recognize his value, allowing IG to snatch him up. If IG beats AL in the regular season, that would be quite interesting.

IG's new roster isn't weak on paper. If they synergize well, they still have a chance to compete for Worlds. However, it's unclear how much Breathe and Meiko have recovered their form. Breathe's performance in the Uzi Cup wasn't particularly standout, overall just average. His current strength is probably similar to Flandre's at best—still nowhere near peak Bin.

IG's first match in the new stage is against the restructured TES. The team's true strength should be revealed after this game. Still, IG has plenty of time to work on synergy in the early part. After TES, they face NIP and WE, two teams near the bottom of the Summit Group. IG can seize this opportunity to fine-tune their coordination; otherwise, when they meet BLG later, they'll get crushed.

Conclusion:

In the new stage, aiming for top four won't be easy for IG. BLG is the dominant force, JDG and Panda are also strong, and TES is eyeing them fiercely. IG might end up like in the first stage, falling into the Knight's Path and struggling to reach playoffs. However, the top lane has changed; even if Breathe is weak, he surely won't feed like Soboro every game.

So, what do you think about IG's new roster?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!