“We’re just not winning,” ardiis bluntly explains NRG’s main issue after losing to Cloud9

NRG was slated to be one of the best teams in the VCT Americas league. While they still have the firepower and have shown glimpses of what was expected, the end results haven't been what they're hoping for. And Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks knows it.

In the team's first match of VCT Americas' super week, they lost a three-map series to Cloud9. Following the defeat, esports.gg spoke with ardiis to ask him about NRG's troubles, his role on the team, and what he feels is the main problem they are facing. Spoiler alert. They're just not winning.

"I spoke with Chet after the Week 1 match. He mentioned that you and s0m have fit great with the team and have shown to be very coachable. Understanding your mistakes, listening to feedback, and working hard. So, I'd like to ask your thoughts on fitting with the team. How well is everyone meshing this far into the league?"

ardiis: "Eh, we're meshing well, to be honest. We joke on the side, we go for dinner together. So, I think overall it's fine, to be honest. But yeah, not quite showing in games."

"You've played at a Tier 1 level in FPS for a while now. And in VALORANT, you had plenty of success in EMEA before coming to America. This is a two-part question. First, how does playing VALORANT in NA compare to EMEA?"

ardiis: "It's quite similar. I mean there's different little bits of different meta, but overall it's quite similar to be honest."

"And secondly, bringing it back to fitting in with the team, how do the likes of FNS as IGL and Chet as your coach compare to those you've had in the past?"

ardiis: "I mean, I think ANGE1 and FNS are top two in VALORANT for IGLs. And I think the same with d00mbr0s and Chet. Luckily I've worked with two of the best IGLs and coaches the scene. So, I think both of them are literally top two."

"Well unfortunately, this marks the third loss, but the last two were close lengthy matches. From your perspective, what are some things that need to change for you guys to finish it out in those three-map series?"

ardiis: "I'm not sure. We're just not winning, to be honest. I mean that's the main problem. We're always losing advantageous situations. We're just not, I don't know, we're just not winning. That's the main problem, to be honest. In each game, there's small mistakes. I think this game, I played just super bad, to be honest. There's always like small mistakes."

"We heard it questioned by the casters and analysts on the broadcast during the last map. You played Jett on Haven, but switched roles with Victor on Ascent, going with Killjoy. Can you give any insight into why that swap happened?"

ardiis: "It's Chet's decision, and Pujan's. And yeah, they think it's the best for the team. So, if they think it's the best, I'll go with it."

"To put it bluntly, are you comfortable with the roles you've been put on?"

ardiis: "It's a new role. I'm just going to learn it. I have to learn it to my best ability and hopefully I can improve. Because today has shown, when I'm on Sentinels, I'm quite bad."

"There's still plenty of VCT Americas left, but has there been any concern amongst the team that things might be getting out of hand with the record thus far?"

ardiis: "Yeah, I mean, I think none of us have lost three games in a row, so this is very bad, to be completely honest. But we just need to improve. We need to win. The main thing is just to win. That's the main thing we need to do right now."

"Okay, so next up is KRÜ as part of the super week, which could be a bounce back match considering they way they've been playing. Depnding on that outcome, when does a sense of urgency finally kick in as the league gets closer and closer to the end?"

ardiis: "It already kicked in, to be honest. It kicked in for this game. We knew we had to win this game and we didn't. So yeah, it's not looking good, but hopefully we can bounce back."

"If there was one issue that you could pinpoint that you feel needs to be resolved to get the team back on track, what would that be?"

ardiis: "To win games. That's the main thing that we're just not doing right now. We've lost our map pick like four times in a row. We're just not winning. That's the main problem right now I think. I know it's basic, but that's genuinely the problem."

"Do you think that comes down to compositions? Maybe communication? Is there anything that you can see that might be the underlying issue to it?"

ardiis: "The main thing is just that we need to win our advantageous rounds. We're losing stupid rounds that should never happen in the world. Every game there's somehow one or two rounds that just, yeah, that I don't even know how to explain it."

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