A problem exists. The problem continues to exist either through ignorance or ignoring it.
Hopefully the person is just ignorant to it as this is much easier to deal with.
One of the only ways to insure acknowledgement of a problem has been reached is by stating it.
The only way for someone to get better is to realize the existence of a problem and to figure out a way to remedy it.
I do not particularly enjoy commenting on how "bad" someone's play is, although I do it quite frequently. It irritates me to watch people who have been playing for such a long period of time stagnate and cease to improve at already subpar standards especially when they are held as "figureheads" of the bracket. It only puts less than adequate play on a pedestal which further perpetuates the average individual skill level of players in this bracket as their perception of "Great" is vastly lower than it should be. This is something that I find very concerning and although it may come across as egotistical remarks, I assure you that it is constructed very logically and for good reason.
Stop trying to defend people from pain, pain is a part of life and it is very important to learn how to deal with it constructively. Whether you realize and/or are willing to admit it, the only one's being hurt by your indirect actions, are them.