It was a rough Spring Split for Cloud9: despite arriving to the new season with some hyping surrounding them, due to the two new members joining the starting line-up – rookie Eric "Licorice" Ritchie in the top lane an seasoned jungler Dennis "Svenskeren" Johnsen - what we saw was a somewhat unorganized team, playing irregularly during in the regular season – just to fall in convincing fashion 3-0 to Team Liquid at yesterday’s quarter-finals, putting an end to any prospects to a trip to Florida… and of a third NA LCS title – which would be the first since 2014.

With some fans now demanding for changes following the disappointing loss, the organization’s CEO Jack Etienne replied to one of those “requests” on Twitter, saying that despite understanding all frustrations, Cloud9 are “not changing the roster” for the Summer Split.

While the fans’ sentiments after the defeat are comprehensible, the lack of individual talent within the roster was not the main reason around the failure to clinch a spot in Miami: simply put, they were completely outplayed in the macro game, not being able to react to Liquid’s plays across the maps, failed to play well around objectives and look considerably weaker during team fights.

As a result, C9’s star players – who are under the very best at their respective positions in the NA LCS - Nicolaj "Jensen" Jensen and Zachary "Sneaky" Scuderi had to play over defensively, out of sheer lack of trust perhaps, in their teammates’ abilities to keep them safe from dangerous situations.   

Now with a long period until the start of the Summer Split, Cloud9 should and will take the time-off to, with the same line-up, fix all mistakes and improve their collective play, in order to become once more the successful side we are so used to see. Because as mentioned, talent they have – and even if things aren’t working out (yet), changing any pieces would be an even bigger risk to take for the remainder of the season.

Without Cloud9, the Semi-Finals of the 2017 NA LCS Spring Split take place next weekend,  with 100 Thieves facing off Clutch Gaming – who were responsible for the surprise of the split by eliminating TSM today on Saturday at  2pm PDT / 11pm CEST, with Echo Fox and Team Liquid defining the second finalist on Sunday at 12pm PDT / 9pm CEST.

(Photo courtesy of Riot Games)