Recently, the LPL has also announced its official roster for the upcoming ASIAD. Accordingly, alongside some predictable names like 369, Knight, Bin, and JackeyLove, the two surprising positions are Jiejie (Jungle) and Meiko (Support). These two positions immediately raised questions among both LPL and international audiences.
The reason comes from the fact that both Meiko and Jiejie have not been performing well for a long time. It cannot be denied that Edward Gaming (EDG) had a miraculous Spring 2023 after parting ways with two crucial pillars, Scout and Viper. But that alone is definitely not enough, especially since in Spring 2023, EDG only lost 3 matches in the group stage. By Summer 2023, as of now, EDG has lost 5 out of 9 matches played – a clear decline.
According to many opinions, with two players in the Top Lane, Jiejie and Meiko are virtually guaranteed starting positions. However, the performance of this duo certainly raises questions. Therefore, many LPL fans are quite pessimistic about the situation of the national League of Legends team at the upcoming ASIAD. Especially since this time, LCK brings a very strong lineup with their most elite names all participating.
But for some fans who enjoy “conspiracy theories”, this lineup from LPL can be seen as intentional. Many may also be aware that winning a gold medal at ASIAD will allow LCK players to extend their professional careers without any further obstacles. Therefore, the determination of LCK players to win the gold medal is very high, and the biggest obstacle for them is LPL.
According to some analyses, with a lineup that may not be strong enough, LPL may lose to LCK in the medal race. But this would mean that players like Kanavi and Ruler can feel secure staying in LPL and continue contributing to the largest League of Legends tournament in the region.
Of course, these are just theories from a segment of the international audience. There is still a long time until ASIAD, and the players can completely regain the necessary form. The audience themselves are also looking forward to the most exciting matches, and at that point, only the team that performs better deserves to win.