One of the most dramatic moments in the Western League of Legends scene this spring was Cloud9’s decision to fire coach LS just two weeks into the LCS season. What’s perplexing is that under LS’s guidance, C9 showcased a highly dynamic playstyle, winning 3 out of 4 matches and igniting great hope among fans. To this day, the reason behind C9’s dismissal of LS remains a mystery that no one has explained.
Of course, after leaving Cloud9, LS continued to follow the team’s journey in the LCS through streams with former players like Doublelift. In the latest match between C9 and EG, LS was also watching, but instead of his usual laid-back demeanor, he appeared extremely frustrated with the team. The reason was that C9 had made consistently puzzling and even detrimental draft decisions.
Doublelift: “I’m out on this match, Gragas is a good pick against Gwen. That’s why he’s been strong lately.”
LS: “Exactly, that’s why I can’t understand Cloud9’s draft decisions at all.”
Doublelift: “Summit seems to be someone who counter-picks himself. He picked Renekton against Ornn. Maybe Gwen is the last champion left in Summit’s pool.”
LS: “What is happening with them? Cloud9 drafted this match like they were throwing, it’s that bad. They kept ‘blind picking’ important positions and made it way too easy for the opponents to counter.”
Indeed, when looking at C9’s champion selections, it’s evident that they allowed their opponents to counter-pick far too easily in the top lane. Choosing Gwen after the opponent picked Gragas was already a “self-sabotaging” move, and then picking Jarvan against Nocturne was an even worse choice. As a result, C9 had a slight advantage in the laning phase, but during team fights, they completely collapsed against EG’s powerful ultimates.
Therefore, it’s not unreasonable for LS to claim that C9’s draft was akin to throwing the game, as they put themselves in a difficult position and picked champions as if they were conceding. With their 0-3 loss to EG in the lower bracket, C9 has lost the chance to “make a comeback” and has officially missed out on participating in MSI 2022. Perhaps firing a coach with strong draft/pick reading skills like LS at the start of the season has cost C9 dearly.