Griffin
2019-10-18 13:10:00
Cloud9

Griffin vs Cloud9

2019-10-18 11:49:14Posted by Petar

For our first match of the day we have an absolute barnburner -- Cloud9 vs. Griffin. Now, in many ways, this match-up can rightfully be deemed as one of the most exciting ones in the entire Group Stage. A clash of two highly aggressive, mechanically talented behemoths. Both line-ups are hungry for success, and have all the right tools which are necessary in order to clash at the highest of levels.

That said, they already fought once, and it wasn't a close affair. Not in the slightest. Griffin didn't need much time before they imposed their will and completely decimated the North American representative. It was an absolute masterclass, and there wasn't much that Cloud9 could have done. They were simply the worse team on the day and it showed in every facet of play.

Now, by no means is Griffin perfect. They're still acclimating to the Worlds stage, they're still somewhat reactive and prone to making egregious errors, but they're fighting tooth and nail to get the job done and it shows. Their unrelenting aggression is virtually unmatched, and while it is somewhat of a double-edged sword, it enables them more often than not.

Cloud9, on the other hand, just doesn't look that good nor dangerous. We've seen their highs, we know what they're capable of but top-tier play was always missing whenever they stepped foot on stage. Even the one win they got on the board wasn't dominant or one-sided. They struggle mightily with even the most basic things and their individual play leaves a lot to be desired as well. Eric "Licorice" Ritchie has been their one shinning star but there is only so much that a single player can do -- especially from the top lane.

There's just not a lot that we can highlight and commend when it comes to Cloud9, and that's strange. While they weren't exactly the front-runners to get out of groups they at least had more than enough potential to fight for that second spot. As it turns out, even that was an optimistic stretch. If they lose this one game they're pretty much done for, which is an insane amount of pressure and to make matters even worse, they're facing against a team that completely outclassed them across the board.

It wasn't a matter of "we didn't execute properly" or "we didn't set things up well". They were simply ill-equipped to take on a team of Griffin's caliber. There's also a fairly big question lingering in the air -- where's Dennis "Svenskeren" Johnsen? The 2019 Summer Split MVP did more than enough to deserve the starting spot, and his mechanical prowess and inherent aggression were the two key elements which propelled Cloud9 throughout the year. He was their biggest catalyst and yet they're opting to start without him. They need a consistent, carnivorous jungler in their line-up (one with mental fortitude and resilience) if they want to stand a chance of competing with G2 Esports and Griffin.

Finally, their bottom lane has been downright abysmal every time they stepped foot on stage. To say that Zachary "Sneaky" Scuderi has been underperforming would truly be an understatement. They're putting him on mages and his impact is basically non-existent. Is it just a bad read of the meta, or a sign of much larger problems behind the scenes?

We simply cannot know at this point in time, but one thing is for certain: Cloud9 is struggling way too much given their stature, experience and pedigree. They didn't have a lot of time to work on their issues so we're siding with Griffin on this one. There's no reason not to, although it's important to highlight that things might be a lot more competitive than most people expect.

GamePickBookmakerOddsStakeResult
Griffin Pinnacle 1.41 8 Win

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