I have been watching a few spl games this season and I have come away thoroughly unimpressed every single time. It seems like every game I watch both players outsmart themselves in the builder and bring dogshit.
I've been sitting on a take for while that I am now going to share even though I'm aware how hot the take is. The Smogon tournament scene is an old boys club stocked full of washed people because people would rather draft their friends than the best players.
I said this in the OU chat and funnily enough a tour player came and we butted heads and did a beef battle bo3. Not only did I win easily it was an outclassing beatdown the likes of which appeared to be a 1900s vs a 1700s or 1700s vs 1500s. And this was against Leng Loi, someone who is inexplicably 3-0 in spl.
This first game is clear showing of what I mean.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2303972977-6eprxsk9s29xx0vl985mk5802f92xpspw
the first game I brought my ace ladder team and it clearly outclassed Leng's horrendous build. Leng had clear amulet scizor vs pech and landorus. The most useful clear amulet would ever be in a matchup and it still showed that it is a horrible item. This is exactly what I mean by tour players overthinking and bringing dogshit "wow if my opponent has pech clear amulet scizor goes so hard" well it clearly doesn't and is demonstratably a horrible item to use.
this second game was an even more egregious example
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ou-2303977804-ijpfqbrn77sbibnen8e0tgd51pvy2jbpw?p2
Custap Ting lu and Custap Hatterene really? When did tour teams start using worse sets and teams than the 1400s? I am not saying all tournament players are bad, there are a few like Storm Zone that I believe are truly top tier. However, there is significant nepotism endorsed bloat in the tournament scene. SPL is not where you'll find the best players in the current meta game, you will find that in the highest ladder non stall vs non stall.