Cloud9 and Echo Fox Battle for Top Spot in the NA LCS
Last week, Team Liquid suffered two losses to Cloud9 and Echo Fox, which left many NA LCS fans eagerly anticipating the fifth week. The upcoming match between Cloud9 and Echo Fox, both currently tied for first place in the standings, will determine who ends the first half of the split on top. This highly anticipated matchup has overshadowed Cloud9’s traditional rivalry game against TSM on Saturday.
The Clash of Playstyles
The key difference between these two teams lies in their approach to the game. Echo Fox favors camping the top side of the map, while Cloud9 takes a different approach. These diverging strategies reflect the strengths and weaknesses of each team.
Echo Fox’s weakest lane is the bot lane, where Johnny “Altec” Ru and Adrian Ma struggle. While Altec had an impressive performance in the summer of 2017 with Team Dignitas, he has struggled recently, particularly in the laning phase and early game aggression. However, a closer look reveals that this may not entirely be Altec’s fault. Echo Fox prioritizes playing aggressively around their solo laners, Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon and Kim “FeniX” Jae-hun, leaving their bot lane needing resources. Despite this, Altec’s strong laning with champions like Ezreal and Kalista is crucial against Cloud9’s formidable ADC, Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi. Sneaky, known for his teamfighting prowess, has become increasingly consistent and is a strong contender for the region’s best ADC title.
On the Cloud9 side, their playstyle mirrors that of Echo Fox, with an emphasis on Sneaky. Cloud9 utilizes strong lanes to protect their top laner, Eric “Licorice” Ritchie, who excels at aggressive split pushing. However, Echo Fox has the potential to exploit Licorice if he proves to be lacking in skill. With Huni’s ability to dominate lesser opponents, he can single-handedly take over the game if Licorice fails to meet the challenge.
The Battle of Late Game Fights
Given the strength of these two teams, it is likely that neither will gain a significant advantage during the laning phase, despite the power imbalance. Both teams excel at playing safe when their junglers are elsewhere. Consequently, late game teamfights are expected to heavily influence the outcome of the match.
Cloud9 holds an advantage in this area. Most of the team has been under coach Bok “Reapered” Han-gyu’s guidance for three seasons, allowing them to develop a deep understanding of his preferred playstyle. They demonstrate exceptional patience in the late game, knowing when to engage in fights based on the specific situation.
Alternatively, Echo Fox is still in the process of learning to play together. While they have won some late game fights, it is often because they all engage in the call made by their jungler, Joshua “Dardoch” Hartnett, without considering the quality of the decision. However, it is still better for all members to follow one bad call than for each member to follow five good ones separately.
What Lies Ahead
Cloud9 faces the additional challenge of overcoming TSM to reach Echo Fox, while Echo Fox has a relatively easier match against OpTic on Saturday. If Cloud9 gets distracted during either match, they may encounter difficulties. However, we hope to witness high-quality play from Cloud9 throughout the weekend. Regardless of the outcome, the winner of this match will likely have a significant advantage for the rest of the split.