The “Super Team” IG Could Become a “Sinking Ship” in 2025
After a tumultuous transfer period filled with drama, IG has emerged as a new hope for the LPL region. This optimism stems from IG’s acquisition of a lineup full of star players along with a highly regarded coach. The presence of top-tier stars like TheShy, Rookie, GALA… has also helped LPL attract a significant number of viewers back to the tournament.
However, alongside the glamour of the “super team” IG, concerns about this team have also emerged. In a recent broadcast, former RNG, LNG, and EDG coach Poppy stated that the “new” IG is likely to struggle against strong opponents in crucial matches. The reason given is rooted in the familiar playstyle of the current IG players.
“Although this new IG has many fans’ expectations, I believe they will face many difficulties. The solo lanes of TheShy and Rookie tend to play aggressively to pressure opponents, which requires the Support and Jungler to sacrifice to protect them. However, Jiejie and Meiko tend to play quite ‘selfishly’ by trying to gain advantages for themselves, making it extremely difficult to coordinate, requiring time to adapt. Furthermore, the individual talents of the new IG are quite high, so they can easily win against weaker teams. However, when facing strong opponents at the top, IG is likely to be exploited in vulnerable situations, playing recklessly and leading to defeat,” coach Poppy candidly shared.
IG Still Haunted by the “Super Team” Curse
Poppy’s comments are entirely valid as IG recently faced a complete defeat against TES (a strong team) at the 2024 Demacia Cup. In this match, both TheShy and Rookie were frequently exploited by opponents due to their positions being too advanced without support. It’s important to note that the Demacia Cup is still just a friendly tournament, so IG could face even harsher losses against TES when entering the LPL.
Not stopping there, being considered the new “Super Team” in the LPL also brings many challenges for IG in the upcoming season. This is because many similar “Super Teams” have emerged in the LPL in recent years but have had rather tragic endings. For example, TES in the 2024 season was also viewed as a “Super Team” but ended up empty-handed. Therefore, the IG team will need to make significant efforts in the upcoming 2025 season to have a chance at winning titles and breaking free from the “Super Team” curse that haunts them.