CLG vs Cloud9

This is a strange one. On the one hand, there's no huge reason to tune in. After all, this is nothing more than a fight between a 1W-7L team (Counter Logic Gaming) and a top-tier behemoth that looks downright unstoppable (Cloud9). This, in a way, is as big of a mismatch as you can possibly have.

Then again, there's always a reason to tune in whenever these two age-old giants step foot on stage to compete. No matter the meta, the line-ups, or the state of the game, Counter Logic Gaming and Cloud9 always find a way to entertain. It's just one of those well-known LCS things which are strangely inexplicable. So in that sense, this is as big of a must watch as ever.

To say that Cloud9 is having a renaissance of sorts would truly be an understatement. They're dominant beyond measure, beyond belief, and beyond logic. Every single member of Cloud9 is making a statement, and in a way, they should all be in the running for the MVP of the Split nod. Their early game is spectacular, and they transition into the mid and later stages with staggering ease. The fact that they're all so insanely talented on an individual level means they often enter the mid game with a seismic gold and objective lead which is then, easily snowballed. They're one of the best and most dominant teams in North American history, and while that certainly sounds like an emphatic, theatrical statement, it is by no means incorrect.

They're basically playing with their food and are looking like a bona fide League of Legends titan. While the most recent patch 10.3 and 10.4 changes might slow them down a bit (and, by proxy, boost Team Liquid), they're still the best and most dominant team in the LCS. Until the meta shifts considerably, they should be considered as a heavy favorite each and every time they step foot on stage. Will the actually be able to dethrone Team Liquid? It could definitely happen, although it's still a bit too early to be certain.

Opposite them, we have Counter Logic Gaming. We all know just how bad they are at the moment. It feels like everyone's just regurgitating the exact same phrases week after week, but not without good reason. Counter Logic Gaming are, without a doubt, the worst team in the region at the moment. And sure, they have a metric tone of talent and potential, but they're just not good enough to compete with the best teams the LCS has to offer. Heck, they can't compete with even the mediocre ones.

Had someone told you that CLG would struggle more than, say, the Golden Guardians -- who are without a concrete hyper carry -- you probably would've laughed them out of the room. And yet it's happening. There's really no positive that can be talked about. If anything, the fact that they're benching the former World Champion Crown in favor of Pobelter is a sign of desperation. Still, it is a necessity, rather than a frivolous decision made by the coaching staff. They need someone who's a veteran, someone who can shotcall, and lead this team to victory. Or, at the very least, a somewhat competitive defeat. They have many wrongs to right, and with Pobelter aboard, they might actually stand a chance of leaving a mark. We've reached the halfway point of the split which means each and every game going forward matters immensely.

Is Pobelter the missing piece of the puzzle? Frankly, it doesn't feel like it, but he's bound to improve CLG as a whole. His experience and leadership are invaluable and while he might not be at his peak right now, he should still be miles better than Crown. Just writing such a thing feels strange, and yet it's still true.

Still, they're facing Cloud9, and there's just no way that they'll get the win. The C9 boys are playing some of their best League ever, and are bound to get yet another dominant, emphatic win on the board. Despite this, Counter Logic Gaming should come out the gates swinging, so expect a hectic, skirmish-heavy affair from the moment these two teams spawn on the Rift.