In the world of Esports, especially in League of Legends, rosters cannot be as deep as in many traditional sports. The typical formula for teams consists of 5 core players and an additional 1 to 2 substitutes. Of course, there are teams with abundant resources that can have a deeper roster, reaching about 9 to 10 players. However, this is quite rare since teams not only have to care for the main players but also many other departments. Yet, there have been many exceptions, the most famous recently being T1 in the 2021 season.
Many may still remember the 2021 season when T1, under the direction of coaches Daeny and Zefa, was led by these figures who helped Damwon Gaming win the World Championship in 2020. However, the time with T1 for this coaching duo was a “disaster.” Coach Daeny not only caused conflicts with Faker but also turned T1 into a chaotic mess by utilizing up to 10 players and many different roster combinations. At that time, it felt like T1 winning was a surprise, while losing was not too strange.
And at the LPL Spring 2024, as the group stage nears its conclusion, it became apparent that Edward Gaming – the World Champion of 2021 (the same year T1 fell into crisis due to Coach Daeny’s strategies) also “learned” from this disastrous model. Specifically, this season alone, EDG has used up to 10 different players, with every position having 2 players. This means that EDG has almost never had a fixed lineup that played more than 5 consecutive matches. Additionally, AD Carry Leave has been transferred to the EDG youth team in LDL after failing to regain his peak form before receiving a penalty.
And of course, learning from a “disastrous” playstyle means that EDG’s results are unlikely to differ from T1 in 2021. In fact, the LPL representatives have fared even worse as they lack any players like Keria, Gumayusi, or anyone influential like Faker to serve as a foundation. EDG concluded their group stage early with a dismal record of 3 wins – 12 losses.
After a forgettable season, EDG will likely need to find a new direction soon. As one of the most traditional teams in the LPL, EDG is currently in a disastrous state and they truly need the best foundations to hope to start over in the upcoming Summer season.