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I don't wanna know if you don't see
I see
I don't wanna know if you don't see
I don't wanna see
I don't wanna know if you don't see
Love is full
It don't matter
Yeah
They love you
Yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't make me wait
And forget
There was one thing I'm not here
Don't say
I'm here
And I don't know what to do
Oh, it's deep
Don't say I'm not safe
She playin' stupid songs
But don't say
But don't you want to just take some of the skews and ask to read your family's soul?
She'll have the pride to hear you
You like a movie scene
Makes me forget everything
Oh, we were just kids playing like we knew the world
You got your name in life
You give me a reason to stay up all night
Yeah, we were just kids telling that we knew the world
Don't leave me dry
I've been waiting for the clock to turn
Don't leave me dry
I know you've got a lot to learn
You like moving pictures on your big screen
You look at the thing like a seven-teen watcher
Pictures on your big screen
Oh, whoa
You're like one of the pictures on the big screen
You look at the view like a 17
One of the pictures on the big screen
Oh, whoa
I set back a joy show
Getting lost in the morning
Haven't known you, take your feet off
We've got time to lose
I'll be one of you, be a guide
We can pretend that we never died
There's no other place I'd rather be with you
Don't leave me tried
I ain't feelin' like I lost it all
Don't leave me dry
I ain't watchin' while the credits wait
You like movin' pictures on the next week
You look at me like a 17-year-old
Pictures on the next week
What you think jazz on the big screen?
You got the feel like a stealthy
What you think jazz on the big screen?
What you think jazz on the big screen?
I
Oh
I
You make love for I
Want to feel the freedom that you think
Cause I'm in this shit for life
Oh, I think, I think
you
you
you
you
you
I
I
Yeah, we're in the right
Too late to change
But give me a stay
Just give me a touch
I'm being it from the heart
I want it like when it gets hard
Wait for me to move away
Until the sun is white
Can't get you off my mind
Can't get you off my mind
I don't know what you're done with me
If I'm thinking about you, are you thinking about me too?
I can't fall in for you, can't help wondering
If I'm thinking about you, are you thinking about me?
I don't know what you're done with me
If I'm thinking about you, are you thinking about me too?
I can't fall in for you, can't help wondering
Crazy
Give and die, get my name
It takes so long to be unwise
But makes sense, makes sense
Makes sense, makes sense
Come on, oh
What makes us come alive?
Ooh, let's break some rules
Don't we don't always have to be good
Don't we always have to do things that we should
But feed the fire
Let's see it through
And let go of what's holding us back
Just let it up and we'll go through the past
And take it higher
It's your heart rushing
The way my heart's rushing
When you take it all in
Baby
This is what we call
My life
Do you think you can take the world
For a storm just
You and I
You and I
Can't believe it
That took so long to realize
This is when we come to life
You feel it
Take the world by storm
Just you and I can believe
That took so long to realize
What makes us, makes us, makes us
This is when we come to life
You feel it
Take the world by storm
Just you and I can believe
It's been so long since we've been here
Hey, look at me, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy
Take a lie
My speed is bad if I'm alone
I'm a brain that spreads the world
When I go out like this, bang bang bang
I'm a game, game, game
Like a game, I'm a dead man
I'm a dead man
I'm a dead man
I'm a dead man
I'm a dead man
I'm a dead man
I'm a dead man
You know I'm not a bad man, but I'm not a bad little guy
I'm so close, I'm so bad, I'm full of myself
I'm told ya, I can only see you
I'm a man with a pink eye
you
you
you
you
you
I
I
You
I
Your body knows.
A sense of victory. Seize when mind, movement, and gear ignite as one.
Now, step into your zone. Designed to win.
Wingman World while... Wingman World while wha...
Have a break. Have a Kit Kat.
Wingman World while wanting a well-won break.
Let's go!
I
Need to keep you around
You know why, you don't need me to struggle
Don't know where to go unless you say
Don't know what to do unless you stay
Thinking that the day will be our day, be our day again
I am up where you wish that
Your love is taking away
It's taking away
Your love is taking away
Your love is taking away
It's not a second too late
It's taking away, away, away
That's it
Winning, losing, either way
Got a attitude, I'm off the rules up in the air
It's fun, I make a count, yeah, I'm talking right now
Feel it like I come back here, got no time to spare
I don't want nothing left to score, 20-20
You know I win a lot, gotta win one more
On our street, never gets old
I'm just all sorted with the ace and my team work goes
I am a playin' with time, I'm just takin' away
Just takin' away, away
I'm askin' why I'm goin' away
Stop this takin' away
Just takin' away, away
You got away
I'll give it one more try
I don't know why, but I keep coming back every time
I want it born in my life, I don't know why
It feels so right
I don't wanna play you anytime, I don't wanna just get it away
It's taking away, away
The mask don't lie, the mask don't lie
It's not a second away
It's taking away, away, away
The mask don't lie, the mask don't lie
It's taking away, away
I'll take the shot!
I'll take the shot!
I'm still a snake of the blue.
I'm screaming, nobody listens.
Still a snake of the blue.
To the bed you can't take me down.
I'm going to be on the
next round.
It's a cold wintery Friday here in Berlin, but I hope you guys are cozyed up. So make sure you grab yourself a warm drink because we got another day of
eliminations where two teams are going to be kicked out of the running here in BCC EMEA kickoff. Welcome everyone to BCC. I'm your host, Ginny joined with Billy, and this time around,
around. Hypox has decided to come down from the cast of booth onto the couch. Get away from the chaos up there.
I mean it's not even here. Really? No. Okay. Sorry. That's too weird. It's a light day today. Yeah. No, but literally you won't say that. You're starting it with... I'm the king of the curse.
So the fact that you've got me here already means we're in for a bad day. Wow. What's a bad day to you though? Like what does that mean? Have you not been watching the game?
You think this is going to be even more months?
You know what?
Entertainment is entertainment. I've not got to complain.
I'm so here for it.
Well, you've got to have to be. Let's have a look at the bracket, though, to see exactly how we actually got here in case you forgot, because it has been quite a busy week ahead.
We're currently in this lower bracket where today we're going to be looking at Navi Heretic's and GX Liquid.
The winner, none advanced, the loser, Billy, goes home.
Yeah, I think especially when I'm looking at this graphic specifically I'm looking at Navi
what fall from grace that they've had throughout this bracket being one game away from making it to
upper finals and I'll find in themselves in a spot where they could be eliminated from kickoff is
quite a daunting time for them. Yeah, it's especially for a team that initially we started
like yeah loving what we're seeing from Navi right opening series first few maps we're thinking
great shells clicking like everything's kind of falling together. Where was that? Where's it
a gun. Um, I mean, that's not sure it's right. I mean, this is like your do or die. It's your
chance to show it, but it's kind of fits into a larger conversation in regards to how teams are
approaching kickoff, how they're approaching the meta, how they're approaching the reads on the
maps and also their identities Billy in regards to being able to show up here on kickoff and
give us the best performance they got. Yeah, so something that we kind of like spoke about
at the very start of kickoff was expectations in terms of the meta when we were coming in
to kickoff. I think a couple of things that Mini had listed was we're going to see a lot
a lot more operator usage, we're probably going to see some double jewelers and we expect
to see some more chamber. And I think that our region has delivered on some of those.
But maybe, yeah, maybe not so much. And I think a big part of it as well was something
that I'd kind of highlighted was weapon diversity being a big thing as well. Obviously signature
abilities changing coming into this year as well was a kind of big thing I think coming
into kickoff that seems kind of hard to consider.
Yeah, I think historically this is something that certainly should have landed better.
at least from my perspective in the EMEA,
in terms of being slower, more reliant on value
from the utility you do have.
But then the switch to Double Jolis
is something that definitely is an overlap for us,
where I think we're probably still trending
behind a little bit in terms of catching up with that.
So catching up with other regions in this discussion then?
Other regions are, again, other play styles,
just like some sort of diversity.
I think there's still teams here in EMEA
that have struggled, and I think against teams,
when you see teams like Ulf and BBL still performing,
I think that's down to just ethos, their approach to the game, how they want to play and where
they feel comfortable, and they're executing that perfectly.
Yeah, I think in my opinion, teams haven't been as innovative as I perhaps expected in
that sense.
Like, last year when I think of Kickoff, we saw the introduction of Tejo.
Teams that were doing really well were picking up that agent, and they found a lot of success
very early on.
But I want to tie that back into the kind of double-jeweless conversation, because
I agree with you, High Flock.
It's like, there's teams that are doing really well with it, but then teams that
are just not like, they're kind of living in the past in the sense that they're
that they're playing. Okay, team paratroops for example, like they're playing too slow and methodical, right?
Whereas like, you look at the other regions and things that they're picking up in terms of initiate,
or like there's the Teho there that we're still playing with as well.
Yeah, I think the discussion behind this is certainly is like what initiator works,
and that's where I think the bigger discussion around T1 and then Steve kind of falls,
versus who's going to pick up the Double Jullies, because I think now it's,
you have two very clear approaches to this meta. I think EMEA is still kind of in the middle of both of them.
Yeah, and it was also like approaching that international stage.
I mean, you know, Master Santiago was just around the corner as well.
So it really starts becoming a discussion of how well can we expect our teams?
Well, here's the thing, right?
With teams like BBL during the Semifinal World, you then come to the international discussion.
Historically, all the teams that EMEA struggle against, the teams like PaperX
that have a completely different tempo to the game.
That's where my concern lies, is that we're still a little bit behind
in terms of the approach overall.
I'm specifically playing a lot of double jewelers.
Yeah, I mean, it's like 76% of the time
specific teams are running double jewelers comps,
which to me is it is a huge both America's and the EMEA
simple 50%.
Which I'm surprised by the America's one.
Yeah, I felt like the approach has been
a little more lenient towards double jewelers, but...
Who has the highest win rate though?
On double jewelers.
You don't want to know.
We do want to know.
It's EMEA.
It's EMEA.
Okay.
Somehow in some world, but I still think it's
It's it's certainly something that I think we need to agree on in terms of the map pool in general
Especially for them that some of the top teams here. I'll come back to BBL
I think they're coming with a really fresh approach. Yeah, it's their play style
It kind of mimics what kind of is reflected in terms of Pacific teams in terms of things
I take Rex the ENA have struggled with I think that's part of why they're so successful so far
While we're on the BBL discussion, I kind of want us to compare Sentinels here as well because BBL have been so clear in their identity throughout kickoff in the sense that they really lean into that cipher.
And if we have a look at what the Sentinels have been used in EMA, I believe it is cipher that is at the very top of the table.
In contrast, you have team heretics that are also still kind of playing the cipher, maybe not found as much success with it.
I think that mainly is a comfort thing for that team.
But yeah, BBL really leaning into what their identity is very clear about it
Whereas you have other teams such as team paratix such as fanatic that are still trying to find their identity throughout kickoff
I feel yeah, I guess the follow-up to that as well as I kind of want to see more chamber
We've seen kind of hints of it and for me you're like replacing mini because that's
Yes
I'd say is right, but I kind of do agree with it. It's like again today
We're gonna see an opportunity with potentially giant X where I like the idea of something like West side
I'd flex it onto the chamber.
Yeah, we'll get to trying next to the second game of today,
because now we need to focus on the first one,
and it's Navi against Heretic.
And Navi, as you already touched upon,
a little bit of a fall from Grace.
I was a believer when I saw the comeback against Fanatic.
I'm like, yo, they're about to do this.
I was a solid week one.
I was a solid week one.
I think most of this hardware, because everyone was like,
OK, they have a really good read on the map.
They've come in to, we were just thinking about innovation.
To me, what they pulled out on Split, for example,
their kind of composition that they've leaned into
on the topic of chamber, you know,
That's something that they play on that map was really interesting for me.
But something I do want to highlight for Navi coming into today's,
it's a rematch against Team Heretics.
They already faced off and kick off in that upper round too,
and now they find themselves both being on the brink of elimination.
Yeah, and they're the ones who knocked Heretics into the middle bracket.
So if anything, this is Heretics' chance to prove that they
have learned from their mistakes and are able to crawl back.
But also from Navi's side of things, we want them to do better
because that's just the expectation you simply have of them.
Absolutely. Yeah, I think in terms of actually, well the roster change being most crucial here. That's
Balance everything should be
Again elephant in the room. Yeah, there's certain individuals
I think I'm feeling obviously that the follow up here has been a big question mark around consistency so far kickoff
Certainly a focal point for me within the navi monster. Yeah, I have to agree
I think hero as well as probably another one that had a stand-up performance
especially in that game against Fnatic, my heart ached for him in that very last round
where he was in that 1v1 clutch against Crashes because he was quite literally putting his
team on his back throughout that game and was very much the main character of that series
I think is fair to say.
I think it's often obvious for those interesting ones where I think they probably have the
tools to experiment a bit more with comps.
Filu being the question mark behind that, but we've seen him, for example, the search
for Filu picking up both the Jaws, they're like absolutely fantastic in that series.
That's something that I really want to see them kind of show a bit of diversity.
They're historically good at maps.
I bind with the slow burn utility oriented sort of gameplay.
That's something I want Navi to leave.
Yeah. And speaking of hero, we also had a bit of a catch up with him ahead of
this matchup. So let's see how he felt about the last game and how he's
feeling about the game coming up.
Hero, thank you so much for taking the time to join me ahead of your game
today. You are now in this lower bracket.
It is do or die against an opponent that you have already won over once.
Does that make you a little bit more comfortable today?
A little bit, I would say. I mean, not a lot.
I mean, it's still like anything can happen.
Like, I do think, I mean, obviously, I think it's a very strong team.
So, like, I don't want to, like, put them, like, lower in my standards
just because we beat them once or twice before.
Because I think anything can happen.
That's the correct mentality to have. You passed the test.
You did, however. Unfortunately, not pass the test against Fanatic.
What do you think happened there?
Because you had a really good individual performance.
You have been climbing the ranks week after week.
So what do you think went wrong there?
I think the main thing was like the slow starts that we had.
Like when I think it was the first and the last map,
we had like very slow starts.
And I think that cost us like a majority of the game
because we were able to like come back on both of those maps as well.
But we weren't able to like close it out or like just win it from there
I mean to be honest like I said there and I believe and I think a lot of the Navi fans believed as well
It was so close, but ultimately it really did push you guys to your limit
So you're talking about the slow starts coming today against heretics who did win yesterday against KC I
Again questions around whether or not it was very convincing. How are you going to approach that game? I?
Mean I'll just approach it the same as like any other game like I think what I've been doing has been working
I've been doing good so I'm just gonna approach it the same and like just do my my own thing
Right what have you been doing then because you have been playing really well?
It's like
it depends on the game days mainly but like
When my form forms coach we've like talked a lot about like meditating and like doing stuff before the game like
Some I don't know what it's called exactly, but it's like something like pressuring your like every part of your body
So it like relaxes your body
It's like yeah, that's right. Well, thank you so much for your time once again. Good luck with your game today here in the slow bracket
We're gonna be reading for you, and we'll see you out there. Thank you
Yeah, so Zen master hero is that the right way to approach this I mean, I guess yeah
Yeah, definitely
Yeah, that's...
Why is that not like a team activity?
You laughed a little too loud. What's going on?
I mean, I think Shao was the one that you kind of, like,
we already touched on, like, did not have a great performance,
last series that they played, but I think Rooks like Kiro and Feeler
were the ones that, like, they were fine. They did alright.
I'm pretty sure all three of them ended up positive.
So...
They ended up having the bipolar math logic.
Yeah.
Let's circle around to another positive thing. I think we can call it that and that was heretics win over Casey
It was positive that they stayed in low bracket, but yes, I'm getting to it. Don't worry
It's the fashion in which they have done it that is ringing alarm bells
Yeah
Like Casey just lost that more so
There was there was still just this we have in the same conversations over and over again about this roster again
come back had some positives again that for me is a huge upswing he's obviously a focal point being
such a high profile roster move but particularly with what we're talking about in terms of the comp
changes I didn't really see what you what I wanted to see on Haven in particular which again it's
still looking pretty good there it takes in terms of win rate overall when you drill down a
little bit and some of the rounds particularly on the defensive side for me it still just looks
like a little bit of miss focus in terms of the overall approach to how they should be playing
with the benefit of hindsighting, cool, we still got good results.
I want to touch on you speaking about comeback, because I think every time we've spoken to
someone from Team Heretics, it has been very much like, you know, we're trying to still
figure out what does the team look like with comeback, how do we make him feel more comfortable,
and I think comfort is something that they've been leading into a little bit more, and
I think on the Haven, like, isn't he honest good?
I think that's comfortable for him, but I think as well, like, just having that
support network around him is probably the key thing for Heretics right now.
So that's the only thing that you want them to focus on or I mean there wasn't a lot of time between yesterday and today and if you're looking at that map
No, I think that's probably just a byproduct of kickoff in general and the format is fairly grueling
Especially when you get down here to the second layer of hell with the lower bracket
But it for me is something that needs to be turned about quite quickly
The other highlight being Benji. I think
Again another big discussion topic in terms of whether sensualized where that kind of flex world comes into
I mean, I think he was probably the
difference maker in that case.
See game right because, of course,
it was corrode that ended up being
to as the decider. And I think
even on his attack itself was
like 345 ACS or something.
Absolutely ridiculous. So he
quite literally took that game
into his own hands by the time
I got to the last map.
Just kind of what he had to do
because it was looking very dire
last time this law of
bracket. But heretics again,
their silliness level is
really high.
around the world and the
most important thing to do
is to keep the story alive.
We're going to see the
bracket. But here eggs again
bear seal in this low bracket.
Can they make the miracle run?
I guess it's the question that
we're going to have to wait
and see the answer to but the
same thing for Navi. We touch
upon them having a bit of a
fall from Grace. This is
their chance to redeem
themselves and kind of push
through it into next week.
But either way, this is our
first match of the day as
those to be decided which
one is going to drop out of
this low bracket, and who
is going to continue to next
week and keep this story alive.
So without any further ado.
against Navi and without further ado let's bring both of the teams onto the stage
I
Benji's timbers hat versus heroes plushy cast is that a cat I couldn't really tell we sell that I
Yeah, make sure that you
The thing that you know it's about the thing that I'm noticing right now is the bright yellow jacket the angel is rocking
I mean
And you know what I'm noticing? The map, Fido!
That's well, we're going to Hazen, Breeze and Vine.
Pearl, actually, being banned on a second rotation from my end.
Surprising from heretics.
Yeah, I mean, overall, I'm not necessarily surprised by this veto in general,
but I haven't, leading into obviously the strength that doesn't really need much of a discussion.
Breeze though is the interesting discussion topic for me here.
Once we get to map 2, because this is a map where I think it's fairly clear in terms of the direction,
we need to see heretics take good steps in.
I think so. I think speaking on that breeze then. I don't think team heretic to mind about this breeze being picked against
No, it's a map that they've let flow in the past few series as well
So I think if you're team heretics looking at that veto, you're pretty happy
I think coming into this one though, obviously Navi have had an instaban, which we kind of expected throughout so far kickoff
I think for team heretics, they've been able to kind of take a risk in this veto in that sense
Do you think weather has anything to smile about today?
He said he has nothing to smile about in his life
with their chairs. So as they're getting comfortable in their razor seas since we're heading into the
competition, but bind is also that third map that I want to highlight a little bit further.
If we go there, when we go there, I'm being, I'm being careful. It's almost a certainty.
I feel like that's a great, I feel like that is actually a great decider if we do go there.
Because of course the last time that we saw team heretics play it, they did end up switching
composition from that duelist, double duelist back into that double initiator. Um, the
only thing is, the last time that they played, no, not the last time, the first time they
played it was a loss to Navi. So I'm intrigued to see if they, I think it was a double initiator.
It was pretty close though, 13 to 10. Yeah, again, not necessarily a very polarising result.
I think that even Haven was 30-11, right? Yeah, it was cool, yeah, same.
From the last series. So, breeze for me being the big swing factor in this.
Yeah, I have to agree. I think to keep on the topic of buying the only time that Navi
more able to win Vines and the kind of three times they played it was against Team Heretics.
Yes.
So I do think it's a great decider, but boasting more in on Haven, no surprise that Heretics
have picked that map. It's obviously been a great one for them so far. They've played
it the four times and only time they've lost it was the Giant X. And it was the one
map that Navi lost to Team Heretics in the after round. So yeah, no surprise to see
them play into that.
What do you think of them? Yes, they're like that.
It was great. Brother. Trying to refresh my memory. I'm not going to lie. It was 13-7.
13-7. Good for them.
More so that Casey obviously struggled with the feet.
I didn't see enough of the positives we're asking in heretics, particularly on Haven,
when it should have been sort of a more comfortable series for them.
I think when you're looking at Haven against Casey, how much can you realistically judge it
I think the comeback struggled a little bit yesterday, when I had been rating previously, how comfortable and how great he looks on the neon, and something that Mini and I had kind of highlighted as well is looking to see team heretics get more aggressive on that defence, especially if they're deciding to play that double jealous competition.
Well, they didn't even necessarily, for me, a questioner.
I was talking to them, the cast, a lot about just taking risks,
calculating risks, sure, but there wasn't enough of that.
Again, they looked very much like they were happily Benji kind of solo anchoring
in situations where you wouldn't necessarily think it's probably suitable
but not making many moves elsewhere on the map.
Which is actually kind of an interesting point, because the coach confession yesterday as well
was like, we want to be more aggressive, we want to take more risks.
So, and it felt like they needed time to warm up into the series,
especially that first map yesterday against KC from heretic side of thing looked a little lost so
They did say that today was they were going to try and focus on being on the server connected to it since map one
So Haven really does give them a chance to prove that and to do that because again
They're so comfortable on it
But from Navi side of things they were sitting at home yesterday looking at that Haven
Is there much that they can dissect from it considering?
I mean certainly yeah hearing the discussion from from neil and webber. They certainly as long as they're being honest
What they're saying, but certainly what we saw in the server in that in that game
I think there's plenty of opportunities to anti a lot of things they're doing particularly defensive side leaving
Benji who like I said lights out yesterday had a fantastic series
But it's certainly concerning when the possibility of huge pace changes are in effect on Hayden
I think a big thing as well as the confidence building for heretics being able to start on Haven something that they've mentioned yesterday as
Well was lacking on that confidence. So being able to start here is a good thing for them
Yeah, and I'm not expecting any changes just because of the tight turn around, so from the side of heretics, let's look at that first.
Yeah, no surprises, to be honest. Again, for me it would be more interesting to see potentially Navi be the ones to change up their comp a little bit here, but again, just comfortable role.
Yeah, I think if you're Navi realistically, what do you change? Because like you mentioned, if you look at all these agents, they're all things that they're super comfortable on.
to see a bounce back from
shell today after that series
that he had the last time that
they played, I think as well.
Someone that we're keeping an eye
on and that kind of touched on
with Filo, if he can get off to a
good start, then that'll really
make a difference to Naby's
performance. But starting on the
attack here with this
composition might be a bit
difficult to start and build up
a momentum because it feels like
a very defensive side of the
competition.
Yes, it's a slow burn.
Yeah, a lot of this lives and
dies by Filo in terms of
ability to get anything done
kind of single-handedly.
But again, I think that's Navi. That's great.
Alright, well we're going to see whether or not Thilo's going to be able to step up today
as well alongside every single one of the Navi and Heretic players because this is Do
or Die, the first map in this lower bracket.
Heretics against Navi with our casters, Mitch and Tom.
Oh, I love a rematch.
Last time the stakes, say they weren't so high, an upper bracket matchup to your
lives.
Yeah, exactly.
But now we're down to the final one.
of these two teams, we're going to be saying goodbye to them here today. The other has quite
a run ahead of them, if they're to make it to San Diego, lower bracket. Heretic's in
the 57th to 8th. Like for either of these teams, even if you look at like, obviously
Heretics, I think they finished 56th at Champions, so they would have done worse in AMA than
they did at Champions just, well, I said a few months ago. It was a while ago now.
It was a bit. And for Navi, yeah, it's the same. Like you've taken out the IGL that
It was at the bottom of the board, like he wasn't fragging enough, and then you brought in another one that is at the moment doing the same thing
So I really want to see firstly the difference from shower
But also what they learned like you play the same map to start off the series
You knew it was coming you knew no matter what the veto went even though I did like this split band coming out from heretics
I think that you knew they'd pick Haven so what have Navi
Brought to the table obviously the start of it is they started on the attack because that was where they did better last
time out.
We're now being a slow start to the pistol round.
I'm looking for a bit of control across the map group up towards A though.
That's where the pressure is going to come through.
What I'm excited to see in this series is that the learnings I suppose, looking at
the last time that they played, this was like kind of a day three of kickoff.
It really wasn't that long ago.
And think about from Navi's perspective that, okay, it's funny for me for both.
have had underwhelming results and obviously they've got comeback coming into the roster as well,
so room to grow. But for Navi, which Xiao so recently taking on that IGL, having even a couple
weeks in between the last time that they played this series, it could have led to a lot of
improvement, a lot of control for Herentist. They pushed down mid and well, it doesn't look
like Navi were ready for that at all, an immediate advantage swinging the way of the defense
and the spike in the open. Now we have to fight for that space, but Eriticks will give it up.
30 seconds left. That potential for re-aggression, but not really a necessity. Just without much time
is remaining. We really need to get a move on. That's going to help.
Sosia will be able to find one. Woot tries to swing back in alone. There's two teammates
that already retreated. So I guess just went for a timing pick that failed. Come back though,
a solid position. If he drops the spike, he could potentially win the round. He's managed
to take out Sociable, but that plant is going to be coming in.
Nothing he can do to stop it.
And now Benji is all that remains.
A one versus two.
A pistol round.
I'm sure both would desire Rooksick.
I like the wrap around.
Benji's chasing shadows at this point,
looking for a man that's no longer there to be found
and maybe even having the expectation
that he's on the other side.
Snake fight is going to land perfectly.
Benji, there's nowhere left to go.
Even Timmy the turret might have finished the job.
It's not gonna be one and zero.
And from now on that's five, Mitch.
I'll be honest, I'm a little surprised.
Yeah, no, that initial fight for Heretic's looks so good
they get the spike dropped in mid as well.
And even backing off, I guess not backing off enough
as Boo had to bail out of that tight corner
and Woot comes in to try to make something of that man
that they've lost trading it out.
But it's a little disjointed
when the individual fights go the way of now V.
And that's something that I think
wasn't really as strong of a facet of their gameplay
going into week one as we're seeing now.
I think the individuals on Na'Vi have heated up.
Hero's always been reliable.
Again, I think the desk touched on it a bit,
but he was unbelievable going into the last game.
But the reality is it was...
Plus 31 in a loss.
Plus 31 in a loss.
It's tough to do.
The floor has risen though across the board.
And I think Felo is the best example of that.
He's had some really good maps recently
and that wasn't the case kicking off.
Kick off.
Yeah.
I think it's worth mentioning as well
although the attack side of this map for heretics has been phenomenal.
You're talking about other than the singular defeat,
having a 7-2 attack, 93-93, so we expect their second half to be sublime.
Na'Vi were able to claw the game back versus them
to a very, very close scoreline on the attack.
That's why they've chosen to star there, that's where both teams thrived.
And I think for Na'Vi, that pistol round is going to be ever so important,
especially allowing some of those superstars on the heretic side to get going because it's a factor
again with comeback. When he does start strong, he normally keeps it going but he just hasn't had that
very often. It's just sometimes there's that difficulty of seeing him with the pack in terms
of the identity on heretics. I think there's a lot to be improved on there. The patience
from comeback might be rewarded. It is presence on this C site so he doesn't need to move out
a garage waiting for Hero to walk through. That could be a free pick. All they need to
do is hold the line, make this at least a tradable situation on the side. And with social
down low, honestly, this hasn't gone terribly. Still some serious potential for Team Heretics
to make this costly. But remember, Navi came in with three rifles. So three players
survive. You know, the good work done so far might not matter that much.
Gets all about that extra damage. I wouldn't like to be walking into this man though, Flicka Rooksic
I'm gonna be missing no shots and that is 2-0 and all the guns retrieved as you said not so much worry for Navi just yet
But this is where things should at least get a little bit more interesting
Well indeed. Yeah, the rifles out for team heretics and we've already seen from the pistol round
The willingness of this team to play that little bit of grass if they push two players down into the window then
as well as having Buu coming down on B. In this round, rotations, gambles, and, well, they very nearly worked out.
But Navi stabilized very nicely, and Heretic's coming down on this round.
But we see that same aggression coming out, sir?
Not in middle, and actually it's Navi getting across the big triple, jumped out that window.
They just went straight through the smoke, and in fact even in China, maybe feigned pressure in towards B.
early control taken into garage with the rifles that they have normally you
might expect to see this was at him geez but they're trying to do it with the
guns in hand already making their way over on towards the site
but their hand is forced by the utility that they've burned to get here but Woot
makes it costly bodies on the floor and with them the spike as Navi tried to
accelerate to the back side Woot was the problem he dealt with come back
has nothing to say about this defense but Reans oh well he's been
spotted now I thought maybe could catch them off guard but heroes landing
everything back to back big performances might be on the cards if he keeps this
up but boo still has a chance and has turned this into a 1v2 40 seconds on
the clock plenty of time to play with
it's got a chance to maybe catch a 1v1 rick six just cross over timing here
seems like they're almost completely unaware to the garage position, but after not seeing
anything around that defender spawn, eventually they're going to start putting the pieces together.
Of course, the flank could also be a worry, but I don't think they're going to be checking
in that direction any time soon. They need to start getting that plant in, and while
didn't even get past stage one, Rook's there to close out the round, and he might
get the final kill, but I think we know who had the most impact for once.
We certainly know who the hero was there. It was incredible to see from the same position as well
Just so clean roots double this really that put a spanner in the works because that'd be we're all in they put so much utility
You saw them break up the top mid immediately put the power annoying through in the garage. They're flashing through there
They're putting everything into that position and then we're finding a double seems to almost do it
There's the fact that heroes there to pick up the pieces that were falling
It puts heretics into this big deficit early, because yeah, it's a 3-0 start, but it's not
that bad, but the key economy, a lot to fall back on.
Sheriff's and a Marshal, a weak buy and a likely 4-0 start for Navi.
This could be a phenomenal beginning to the attack side.
It's the cam into the paranoia.
They's even baiting for it, but the problem is, yeah, when you can just escape, it really
doesn't matter so much.
It was the one player.
They really didn't want in that sort of scenario
Are we doing well to pay out any of those traps early and in fact a full rotation coming in from heretics all in on this
A site and for now at least
After maybe faking a retreat now everything. Okay, we've got them. They're probably rotating back to see now
They're gonna go the other way
They're not you're walking into a trap. Yeah now bees assume that the flock migrated
But that nest is packed to the brim.
Benji, the one showing himself to start powering away a line.
That's caught a good few.
This is Navi's chance, but it's no idea the numbers
that they're walking into.
So many bodies round in the corner.
Come back in there for one.
The trade's good for Heretics, and now the lead is theirs.
It's only Shau.
They had it all.
A 4-0 start practically handed to Navi,
but Heretics another big gamble early.
That's two rounds where they've guessed correctly.
For Navi, that's gotta be frustrating,
but no marks for second place.
Thrifty puts heretics on the board.
Yeah, wonderful stuff from Benji,
but also just incredible call.
Like, it's such a risk.
And I can completely understand
Navi's vein of thinking that,
okay, we got caught in there trap early and ran away.
So they're probably assuming
we're gonna go to one of the two other sides.
The fact that we're gonna now slow down
and re-hit into the same position.
Okay, maybe there's a few players here, but there's no way there's gonna be all five.
There was.
There was.
Benji obviously being the most important of them all.
Three kills coming out from him with the sheriff.
And now they have a huge boost in economy.
Alts getting closer to being online.
And they've stolen away a first round.
Yeah, that's the difference.
Between a lights out start for now, V, wind in the sails and...
all a sinking feeling, taking over, but Ruxik...
It's not going to wallow in it for too long, that's a very nice opening.
Just take a 1v1 on Viper, let's go in for the immediate fight.
We talked about him last year and the risks he would take while playing these agents, but
there's so much space now to be played with, he was the only man on that A side of the
map.
Lockdown even going to be utilised, come back ahead of me though, okay, this gets
a little bit more interesting, they don't even need to commit to this anymore,
They can just fall away from the lockdown, allow them the sight because you have the man advantage.
He's just saved the round, really they were back into a hard place and all comebacks got a 3k already.
Sliding into the site and what a remarkable recovery. The lockdown even put in there.
That should have been Navi at least in a favorable post plan.
Instead, one guy has just taken this round and completely under his control.
This should have been a 4-0 start for Naby, a coinflip that decided whether they got a
6-0 start, a huge leg up.
And instead, the coin doesn't even get out of the hand, Heretic steal it out from
under their feet and they're one behind.
I'd really love to show social mode this replay because his teammates on the corner next to him
So come back just runs past shout completely ignored him and kills the guy planting the spike
Social mode almost just gonna be sat there like nice break bro. How has he got there?
hoping for maybe a little bit more cover a
while from a
the pretty damning start
He gets wrecked last round, now he wrecks Rooksick in the next round.
One player did manage to pass, but I don't think they're just going to give up that space
for free.
Especially if one person gets caught on the cross, you're kind of going to gamble that
maybe a second made it past already.
They won't know it, at least from the drone.
They're definitely not just giving up full control.
Now it's only an outlaw that comeback has it's not an up, but that is in fact much worse for Navi
Everybody comes in here. It's everyone comes in here 25 shields or less and
Feel it with his rifle. Well, he won't be able to match pound for pound bullet for bullet
We've come back on the other side so a lot of danger for heretics
Sorry for Navi to avoid as they push into this a site
He lives only two players here, but comebacks already down to one shot, although he's got his ult to fall back on, and that's proven to be no problem whatsoever.
Oh my goodness, an in-zone flawless. This team was looking down and out three rounds ago.
Yeah, and comeback has just had a mass amounts of high impact rounds.
The last being able to get that double to completely ruin Navi's post-bond.
This round, get cool, sick, sick.
It's got to be a great feeling here, just getting wrecked by the guys completely blinded.
And then he pulls out the Neodolls, 10 and 4.
An incredible start to this game from him.
But this is where we do see Naby come back in with a buy.
Viper's pit available if they can get into the post box.
And even a Hunter's Fury to get them in, but there is also one for Reans on the other side.
So maybe that Viper's pit won't be quite as safe.
I thought that was quite interesting, they're coming back 8th highest first engagements, we saw the Toast pop up and you know, I'm not sure how much they could have died in his, oh my goodness!
Rook 6 running it, usually you see that pick go up and they wait a moment, at least left the decay kick in but sociable was up top, they thought that could be enough but even with the info, boom!
Able to land a kill on him as Hunter's Fury fights its mark!
That was nearly a double!
Velu down to 45 as the plant comes in, it's pure chaos on the server!
But Navi, the ones that seem to be thriving within it with the post plant, if they can get away.
Oh my goodness.
Velu, you'd be chasing them!
Down the other!
And in fact, the ends up taking both!
I like the idea!
The drone hits the guy running away.
Your low HP, the biggest surprise factor is if you're right in their face waiting where the drone just cleared.
The fact he gets both though? Fair play.
Well, that was an unusual round to say the least.
And the aggression coming out of Na'Vi to start that.
The blitz in towards B.
And keep in mind it's after you have opening pick, they decide to just go hog wild on the site.
And then the 45 HP player tagged up when they've got the post plant just just goes and challenges spawn
This team just walked away from there something. Hey, this could be good. Yeah, it just took the fight a ballsy play
It's worked out now an early fight by heretics. It gives booing double the barriers barely go up and the rounds half over
Yeah, just go run down on the other side. So anything you can do we can do better
You're gonna try and run it down on me and be I'm gonna run it down on you and a it it's
some of the paciest starts to rounds we've ever seen
and it gives heretics
massive advantage bear in mind I said expectation
is they're going to tear it up in the second half
speaking of tearing it up here I was trying to do it all but
at this stage it's left all on to Shao
we haven't seen the Shao show
in quite some time known in the past for his clutch capability
Maybe without the rest of the team to focus on this is where we can see that hunter's fury available
But he'll need something before that comes into place. I need to pick and now you know who does looking for you
And he spotted him. There's the information. That's basically it shall just missing it by a hares
Okay, but hold on he's got the first now
But last try the final shot lands for Rienz and heretics close that gap in now four to four
or I mean, that early fight was madness.
And this has been two rounds in a row now
where last time it was Navi looking for the scrubs,
this time it was just boo.
Yeah, this is absolutely said to it.
Yeah, you can see the frustration.
The difference though is that that was both teams economy
hanging in the balance.
That was everything on the line, all the marbles.
And now you look at Navi coming into this next round.
It was a singular shot from Xiao.
It could have changed.
You have a look of this next round.
FeeLoo is going to be the one with the rifle, the rest on just pistols.
Woop now with the operator in hand.
And he has managed to find Timmy the turret.
Well, this is the same setup from Hereticz.
A bit more passive from Rienz.
We saw him go down on A long very early on to Roxxic in a previous round
and the A site was wide open.
This time he backs off, puts the drone through and now has a little bit of backup by the time he spots a few outside
Boo will be on site with him and a no longer under the same threat when those barriers went up
I was worried. We were just gonna see a race repeat of Rien's role in the dice, but
In fact, there is some dice roll. The heretics are gambling on this A site for players here
Yeah, I guess putting a lot of faith in that the site for utility to keep C and garage under there
That's the thing. Benji is just toppling that can.
They've already spotted a player out to B, so that'll be at least a small rotation back.
My worry here is that Woot's now completely isolated with an operator in hand.
As not the gun, I would want to see completely solo with no support.
No game pressure.
But whatever read they've had, this has to just be something to do with the way
Na'Vi like to play the map because they have stacked up four players here,
while they're the ones with the buy, all the way into the last seconds of the round.
Yeah, I don't know what they're seeing, what the read is, but they are being read like a book,
Navi running into the sack, yet again, Hunter's Fury gonna try to dice this up,
making it more difficult, but it's easy pickings on the side of Heretics.
Even if they're on an eco with those numbers, it will be tough for the attackers to break
through, but the reality is those rifles in play, move down to two, rock six, go one,
What's the way to- Oh, that's solid lucky.
The tight garden is solid lucky.
Little fleece, the side, oh my goodness, this game.
This game is pure madness and a round wing bite.
He's only just gonna find out.
A sliver of HP, geez.
He's gonna look at the damage and go,
oh, that's just unreal.
Like to hit the headshot on the guy through the wall.
I love the fact that Rien's kills Felo twice.
He kills the real Felo and then kills the client.
Want to الذي
Commit it to the cause but yeah, what a heartbreaker man that close to taking them down one stray shot
But the time out from that beat
The reality, you know you look at the timeline Tom 5 4 for heretics
It's a close scoreline, but when you take that timeline into account five out of the last six rounds
Yeah, it's no surprise now if you take a moment
You also have to take into account how good heretics are on the attack
Once you now get to this stage, in the majority of their games, this is already enough to win.
Yeah, so it's a very different look, and sure, okay, in the loss versus GX, they only had a 5-7 attack.
They only got two rounds on the defense, so it's already a completely different ballpark of statistics,
and unless Navi have come in and gone, okay, well, we got battered on that defense last time,
let's put all of our work into that half, I don't know why you'd then pick attack.
I think they knew how this game was going to lay out, wanted that strong start on the first map as you normally would,
and now things aren't even close to going to plan. And sure, some of those rounds have been clutch moments,
some of them you've had bigger vantages that have slipped away, but if anything, that's kind of worse.
Yeah, I think the fact that you were 3-0 up, facing into an eco, should be 4-0 up.
And from that point, you have a massive economic advantage.
You lose a 3-5.
Yeah, and the context of how we've ended up here is what's really going to sting from now.
That timeout
Has it had any effect or not well it will take a moment for us to find out
But it's definitely the right moment for it considering heretics by what we've seen
You know, I'm not sure it would look much different if they just had the playbook not be in front of them
Like they've read it to the team every time but they're their stack ups on a and speak of the devil and it shall appear
They've done it again just four players on that side of the map
And maybe that's why Navi are now going in the other direction finally they have
realize that their opponents have been able to take massive risks and honestly
in terms of information for Benji a lot of it is just going to come down to
himself now he's heard that from social easy kill that opening pick is all they
really need comfortable in their retakes he can wait for any level of
support and we should see in a moment the rest of the team begin to rotate there
we go they literally planted this mic and no one's moved off a yeah it's a
real shame because even just going for the seaside hit like they don't know
how right they had it like pushing into that site one guy to defend you and because of that old it ends up offering
I won't be one because he backed off because they played the retake unlucky wrong moment
Play scissors they play rock now feeler hold on
It's messy it could have been so much more but now falling like dominoes that have he
That's a disaster
Different game could have awaited them with Benji fishy taking a 4k heretics lead
Locked in now six to four. Yeah, he's having a great game
Not only up the basis of okay beer scoreboard Steven have a look at the numbers. He's 12 and six. That's pretty good
Especially with everything we've seen to Cypher, but this is sort of the the proof of how valuable just the information you get from Cypher compete
They had the conversation earlier about that almost the initial
initiator level Cypher
And that's what he's doing. He's just making sure that at all times, Info's there, they
can gamble on other side of the map and then even get some of the opener. So they play
a 5v4 retake. Sure, opportunities for FeeLoo, but it also worries me that that was the
Beal and Endle. If he doesn't get two in a spawn peek, they lose the round. That's
not a mistake.
It's because they were already behind, right? You need that big play to bring it back
into the game after sociable goes down diving in the backlines and again not a bad play I like
putting pressure on from both sides but when it's one guy holding C and he's decided to play it as
a retake year you're offering up a probably favorable fight for him. A 6 to 4, a chance to
tie it up for Navi still exists but recency bias leans heavily towards that 8-4 score line.
Eretix could have believed it to have this is their chance to at least guarantee it.
Oh, that one looked very close but come back. Robbed of a kill and he's going back.
Yeah, not happy with how that one went.
Another one for Reans.
He's out here.
And now I'm going to look to double back, but the problem is that that trip's still in play.
A lot of teams you'll see just throw in like a shock dart throwing something to try and destroy this utility, but
with 35 seconds left it's still online.
Benji spotting the one gap and he's been very good at doing that whatever there's been some space Benji fishy is in that space
They're going back
Navi fleeing the tree still there. Yeah, this info is going to be 20 seconds left. The terrific garage is still there
All that has to happen here is the boot delays so many nose apparently is trying to ready fire through just in time
Okay, and Chance, this fight can make it to the site, it might even get planted, and now the number is standing out!
Okay, Navi you've got a chance, but Hero needs to step up again, that Shock Dark connects on a shower, he's so low.
The Guardians in play though, the headshots needed, down to a 2v2, and up against the Opt, the HP9, not matter forcing another fight,
the fight, but Chow can't get it done!
Come back!
Well, it's gonna wrap into the garage.
It's a messy fight, but Heretic's seven on the board.
This is a team that started out what we thought
had to be four zero down,
but they have taken complete control from round four on.
Yeah, I don't know if Benjy Fischi
has upgraded to the indestructible trips
that are coming in one of the next few patches,
you know, just a little leak for you there.
That's on the way, dude.
But I genuinely am perplexed
by the fact that garage utility is being left
until the last 15 seconds.
Like that's bare bones, that's basic.
You can't allow, I know that he's moving them,
I know that it's not gonna be there all the time,
but that's just stuff that I feel
you need to be removing otherwise.
Look how much global control they have.
You have one guy on C, three guys on A consistently,
and then one guy just watching in case
they push into the B site.
That's just too easy for heretics on this defense.
Yeah, and that is, oh no.
See ya.
that's hero down as well. A huge player to remove from this squad and not just
individually, but also the utility now is down. Your back is constantly open when
you do go to take some control and consider an heretic so far of being
winning off of information to map control and so many of these rounds
they've had the upper hand in that regard. Losing hero here is just
going to be insult to injury and attempt by Fielu to wrap around behind
eight. They'll put the pressure on. They've spotted one. He'll go up to
heaven and that makes it very difficult for come back to do anything really he's
just got to flee the goof run he's managed to get himself back to the rest
of the team sitting on the back of that site and well we're yet to see the
pounce from the back line ruxik's done well but feel he's now been dealt with
that's not a problem and whoo looking to try and take over 10 HP again we
find ruxik in a clutch scenario last time the difference with just to
help now he has a gun
you
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The angels are genius. Wow. Well, I don't know what you said. I don't think he's gonna like that one.
The Haradriks move towards this A site.
Crasher put on the show. He gets nothing done. A little bit of damage. A tag.
A fast field route. If they hit the wall, that's a beautiful flash, but comeback.
He must have been blinded. I didn't even see him turn.
And yet he's good to find that kill still
Downside of pushing the lane way I suppose the five versus three for Navi way on the back foot
And this is a pistol they would have very much wanted to remember they have four rounds three of those were in the first three
That is all she wrote in berksy
He's been in many a clutch this game and he's been close, but
four players like taking against him
pretty much all of them just aggressively waiting around the angle he's pushing through.
I didn't even get past Benji, did she?
I think that might, why'd you know? I don't think he will move him to the top of the board
because comeback also got two kills on the entry.
It's nine to four, comeback and Benji racing to the finish
and who's going to have the most kills at the end of the map
and it is a very, very close fight
but that's about the only thing that's been close in the last ten rounds or so.
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, there was a moment where there were some clutches, some tight affairs, some 1v1s.
In fact, some of them came down to 2HP, but Navi, there's been a few opportunities, but
really the broad strokes of the game is that Heretics have had full control from round
four onwards.
Navi with one under their belt, and while I thought that was going to be the double
from comeback, he is feeling it right now.
Of course, only up against a lack of shields and classics, it's zero investment from Navi.
That doesn't necessarily mean zero potential. Look at this rotation.
They have managed to get four players, all four remaining on this side ahead of the push.
Well, let's see how many combat can dwindle before anybody else even needs to shoot their gun.
There you go. Hero's at least going to get the one, but it really doesn't matter that much.
Benji only had himself a pistol. I don't even know if they'll keep the Marshal going into the next round.
It depends how much of an upgrade they want, but either way that was a relatively clean
Bonus round coming out of heretics and they are now just three rounds away from constantly dominating their match
Yeah, I think coming into this round for Navi. It is do or die right now
Yeah, like this. This is heretics map page at Iada Breeze is another match. It's a completely different ballpark
Sure, but you don't want to bomb out like this
It's not only going to be like if it's a 13-4 that's they won 13 out of 14 rounds
They had full control they had momentum winding their sails and it seems like a complete mismatch
In terms of caliber we know that's not true
How we've seen this matchup on day three of kickoff and it was a three mapper for now. Okay
It was all heretic some tales shall fall
One and then comeback
Well, he's had his moment almost every round so far.
What's another one to add to the tally?
Oh, that's a heartbreaker.
Yeah, it feels like after the last game, there has to be a lot of people questioning him
in this team.
But this is the answer.
This is what you can come to expect.
Here it does have eyes on that spike.
So there you go.
Locked in to just try and take these fights.
He's got rid of one, but now it comes all down to Rooksik.
clutch scenario another opportunity but he's been spotted they know he's here 45 seconds
and Boots gonna get away with it but getting around this corner is easier said than done
now they're just shifting back and this time Rooksik will take home the Red Bull Clutch
it has been coming. Oh that was incredible and what a time for it as well now when we
look at the fact that they did find the opening pick and their opponents had a lot
of weak weapons and the fact that this pike was left behind and the small trotter
The only reason this round is actually won.
But if we overlook all of that, that's the round they needed, right?
An individual stepping up to save the day.
Quite frankly, a crazy adjustment on Taboo.
And a round here in round number three of the half,
where Heretics had the chance to break the economy of Navi
to run away with the home stretch.
But now, a bump in the road, and a full investment,
and a ton of damage, and comeback.
I don't think he's done yet.
He's chasing them down towards the site, the old pop, he knows the shower's desperately low.
But even what he's done so far should be enough.
I love the drone.
They are there.
They are the guys, the drone has spotted that they are still there.
Yeah, come back just thinking it was so nice, I have to do it twice.
Go for the same play once again, this time with an outlaw.
And once more.
Oh, Navi.
They're gonna be having nightmares of this guy tomorrow.
A lot of space on the other side of the map of course similarly to the cipher you got the turret watching
You've also got the alarm bot in B. So a lot of this space is covered by hero
Being covered and him being able to stop them is another thing all together wonderful spam
He's dropped the spike they're gonna have to go back for that
He's bought time for the rotation of philu, but because of that hesitation philu is now out of there
I think just being told to wait for the rest of the team
I'm not necessarily sure if that's the right call, he could have had a wonderful timing there.
Yeah, instead, 4v4 they want to play this retake together, all light shields beside of Navi.
Come back, he needs one hit, he's got two in the barrel, anywhere will do, anywhere will drop them
and it's going to be a big swing on the back, he's even dodging that initial flash, it's a nice shot!
Full blind, lands it ahead of time, dodges another, it's damaged on an easy clean up for the rest of the squad.
Comeback really has stepped up today. 11-5. Do Navi have any answer?
No. No, they don't.
They got no credit to find one.
A minute ago, I think I was talking about how comeback was on 18 kills and Benji was on 17 and it was a race.
Yeah, yeah.
Benji is on 17 kills.
Okay, and now come back is on 25. Like it's like most of them we talk about especially duelist on the defense
And we go look he's at a good bar, but keeping that up on attack while you're playing entry
It's going to be really difficult if anything. He's improved
Which doesn't make a lot of sense, and I think this was just turned into a game of set-up comeback so that he can kill everyone for us
You say that half the time he just like ran down on a there was some shots. No one was blinded
Sure, but there was a flash.
That's true, the idea was there.
Well, the rest of the team did it.
The effect of reality is that this man is just...
Hello.
Nice try.
He's still gonna get a kill anyway.
Didn't get there in the end.
Even Stealth probably would have been the one and done for Navi.
This round's not the one that you want to put all your eggs in one basket for.
They've saved their credits for the next.
They'll save their lockdown as well.
take some risks with the pistols but this is gonna have to be seven in a row
assuming there's no miracle here. Already though some damage done to Woot by
that initial play from Ruxik is a chance but in the rounds where heretics made
these sort of defensive low buys look good it was always that they read the
play that they had four or five players on site. It's gonna be two. It's not four or five but
let's see if they get more than that were a second ago. It's better than zero.
He was gonna 30 seconds take the first flight and he's gonna win it not a bad start now
Hero only has a classic and reends this why we love reends the safest paraphras even they just spotted a guy around the angle
He still checks it nice attempt from shout Wow
And so she bought while he's coming up on the flank
I don't think he's gonna be able to deny the plan that would be the one free way to win the round and
Boo is already
Watching his position
Search was going to try and bait, okay? Maybe he's coming from a different angle, but the fight's not bad.
Unfortunately, not quite close enough for that bandit to truly do enough damage.
Yeah, yeah, a couple meters in it. That would have been a different fight, but 12-5 is where we end up.
Again, with a low investment with the gamble being two players towards the correct site
and still landing this much damage with the second player being rooted immediately by Riennes.
But it's to come down to what it did, which was, you know, if it wasn't 12-5, this would be a nice round.
Yeah, this would be great!
Nice! Nice!
It is 12-5.
But it is, you know.
So it doesn't matter.
So no one really cares how close you make the round, you know.
This could be a 1v1 down to 1 HP, but if Harris is winning, it's all over.
Goal back!
Goal!
What is this guy doing today?
That's a madness!
you
you
you
you
you
you
I
You'll be on your own, you'll be on your own
Stay, stay, stay on your own
You'll be on your own, oh
What was the focus of Prep for this series, if you're expecting to play Heaven?
Yes, I was expecting to play Heaven and the focus of Prep was to not let them play, basically.
And as we all see, it didn't really work out.
I love it when we get some insider information.
Welcome back everybody to VCT EMEA, kick off, really starting things off, pretty great on Haven, to be expected from them though.
Yeah, I mean this has been historically a dominant map for them, we kind of teed it up like that and we were expecting them to be able to have a clean map given how strongly looked on it.
Yes and no for me, a little clean and I would have thought obviously from Navi's perspective in terms of having a lot of tape to go through and in my eyes some opportunities to probably put up a better number here.
Yeah, I think that's probably why we're expecting more of an answer from Angel there, right?
When we kind of asked...
The best Neil of WeatherCounter has got to let them play their own game.
Oh, that's still a star!
That's Angel, just like next level brain.
Yeah, he's like communicating through the coach's conversions to the other coaches.
Take a break.
Either way, speaking of numbers, speaking of performances,
Heretic's had individuals that were doing really well and that's what we needed from them.
Yeah, I think this is...
Well, not even the elephant in the room anymore.
I mean, it's like this is why this was the move was made right to have somebody that can put up these numbers and have such individual impact on the game. Yeah, and I think Benji fishy as well alongside come back that you're kind of into new in their Michael is them.
Honestly performing really well right this is someone that we've kind of been critiquing throughout kickoff so far I think about someone that needs to step up I had kind of criticized the lack of flexibility in his agent pool by only really being able to play the bifur and
I think when you're running a double Jules composition him being on the cypher is great. I think that yeah, you had a really great performance
Yeah, absolutely great. I think it's probably a discussion
Here's sort of the player as well. It's you do get this kind of very hot and cold
It's feast of famine for Benji and the situations that heretics leave him in in certain situations here on Haven
Obviously, you need him to feast
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
And it's also good to hear from
Benji is close. It's gonna be an
easy series if you keep stuff
30s like that. That is
ultimately why you pick up a
player like comeback to be able
to just stand on his own two
feet and just put out numbers
for that. I was more just
standing on his own to be this
man was running the server.
That is absolutely insane from
comeback. But that's also what
we said earlier, Billy. We
wanted come back to step up.
We wanted Benji as well to
I think it was mainly like concerns from us. I think comeback being able to put up those numbers is really kind of what we've been waiting for of course he joined tier one last year and someone that we were all hyping up someone that we were like oh my goodness he's going to be amazing when he gets to tier one because he was so dominant in challengers and if he can start to hit a stride where we know he can perform then that's going to be great for this roster.
This also answers another question for me if heretics aren't fully on board with the
Committing to double duelist kind of across them the pool in general if comebacks able to actually put these numbers up as the solo
Jewel is the answers the second question for heretics in terms of what we're going to see throughout this year
Yeah, it gives more of an insight towards potential identities developing because that's a topic of conversation
Every single team is using this kickoff or using this to find their identity
Well, it is time to really find it
But we also have another coach confession coming through from Nelsinho and Weber in terms of how this map went.
So let's hear about that.
How much is it impacting the rest of the team now that comeback is having better performances?
I think, I mean, you guys just saw there, I think we're just taking a little bit of time to figure out how to use them.
I think a big misconception is he only opts.
I think you guys just saw there, he's incredible with the rifle as well.
So, we want to lean into that a little bit more.
Yes, it helps, but it's a bit more comfortable
as a team right now.
It's not just individual performances.
Yeah, I think also, without being a bit of a downer on it,
like, this is an exceptional circumstance.
Like, this is something that we cannot maintain.
Like, obviously it's great that it's playing as well.
We just need to keep on working on our fundamentals
and everything like that.
And that is what will make us a better team,
not just one person going out there
and doing everything.
I think that's a good point.
Fundamentals, time, synergy, you'll see on the server.
Consistency. I feel like those are the five answers that they absolutely love to give us.
So we're going to try and bisect this at the best of our ability.
Consistency, prep, yeah.
want to give us a bit of insight we'll just sit here and do your craft ourselves because
what what really do we have to do so breeze coming up the theory craft there in regards
to what we can expect from the side of heretics because it looks like I mean he did say this
is a one-off potentially like not some of the biggest replicates which question marks
there yeah a bit concerning again I'm never really sold from when we listen again now
you've seen the clip you know again yes this is an exceptional circumstance you have
any duelist is going to maintain like 450 ACS like you know you've cracked the
enigma and it's just the chosen one effectively but to then talk about
Compton hearing about like the off-course usage and stuff I'm actually
happier seeing him on the right side especially if you're gonna see like
particularly things like the Neon Yoru I'm happier to see that but I would be
kind of trying to shoehorn him into the comfort weapon which is obviously
putting him on the sky. Well the Neon you asked for a U-Shall receipt and a
chamber on there too Billy, boot on the stage is the thing that my eyes are burning actually.
And we're going to see boot on the chamber so you know you kind of just touched on the
fact that having different people being able to pick up that operator is really nice.
This would be a positive here to then see boot on the chamber yes. Exactly but I think
running just Benji on that solo Viper is a bit risky.
Yeah tall order, a very tall order especially coming up against a well a very diverse
come from Navi that actually gives a lot of possibilities in the mid-round. Weirdly enough
you look at this comp for heretics and it feels a little fun-loaded, right? It's a bit more
all-in.
But isn't that what you were hoping to see from them either way, like lean either?
Not on this comp. Not on the Sage.
No? But you're just a Sage-hater.
Okay, the positive thing is they've obviously been cooking this a while for it to have
been left as a decider map in the past two series, so it's not like it's a,
oh no, that's going to break.
Yeah, I don't think this is the ace up the sleeve.
they've cooked but like
And is this really the time to cook in the sense that we're in the lower bracket
Well, that's a great question that they will be able to answer because this is do or die for Navi though
If they lose this game, they are out of cake off
They went at the blue push it all the way to the sider which would be fine
But to ultimately get there Breeze needs to be secured so let's head into our second match of the matchup with our
testers mission Tom
Well, this is certainly going to be an exciting matchup, Tom, coming in to this.
Heretics, wind in their sails, but bringing in an interesting composition.
We've seen something similar attempted by Fnatic, and I'm pretty sure they lost that game.
Emery's hasn't been great to them in general, but there was a key difference, you could
say, in that composition versus what Heretics have cooked up with a gas fire.
Yeah, it feels like everybody at the moment has gone double controller on a lot of maps,
But especially on a map as big as this, like, having something like an Astro for that global utility is so valuable,
maybe if you don't like that, you're bringing it over.
I didn't expect to see solo Viper comp here anymore. I don't feel like it's too viable.
At the same time, you look at the way they won the last map, and it was one dude rendering and killing everyone.
So maybe the controllers don't matter at all.
Well, think about it this way, you smoke the angle, it means that Wu can't take the fight.
So, you know, take Astral, put in the chamber, easy profit.
Let's see if that's the case.
Magic formula for Heron, but he's about to drop 40 on Sage.
A big part of the early game on the last map was Gambles was getting boots on the ground in the right spot at the right time,
but Phasset has not followed them here on the breeze, him to play the retake on B,
but looking to apply pressure elsewhere towards the elbow where he looks like he's waiting,
and that gets them the advantage and puts pressure on Navi's behind.
This is perfect play from Heretic to start at least.
Oh, Philo's almost dead as well.
He doesn't even realize that there's a second player
in the corner.
It's almost like a little bit of a bruise
is being solved for some how sociable got both anyway.
That's definitely turned this on his head.
A wraparound coming in, both players
towards the spawn for the ex-JUKSite.
Sociable just about surviving the Benji.
So he's already managed to clear off,
leaving just Hero remaining.
That spike is being stuck.
He expects it just to be taken to half.
Why would anybody stick it the entire way?
But that is re-end for you.
It is going to be heretics to take themselves a pistol round.
And I think they're having fun.
Benji, yeah, he was laughing his ass off
the second they end up with that dump.
Big three game for him in this round.
But yeah, sticking it up, I think that was his before.
He was laughing so hard.
I don't feel like you start, man.
Here we go.
Yes.
Yes.
I thought he was going to hit a yabba-dabba-doo down on the stage.
All right, Team Heretic's 1-0.
Pistol under their belt, and again,
it was 13-5 in the previous map.
Navi went 3-0 off to start.
And when it came to rifle rounds, they didn't play the game.
They weren't here.
Might as well have walked in in a 5-0
to so many of those rounds and the ones that came close.
It didn't matter in the end, because Heretic's ended up
winning it out by those dead margins in the few rounds
where they were a part of the game.
I really wanted that pistol to go to Naby, but this is the real thing! Oh my goodness! The wall is held down!
Perfect wall from Boop! No criticism!
Oh no! Crap! It sucked on! It's the knife to block!
And then come back sliding with the judge.
Good luck, Shal.
See, it was all a ruse. It was all a ruse to get Shal into this position.
There you go! He got one. He's only got 18 health left, and he's now found himself a judge.
Ah, he's dead. See you later.
We're from behind. 2-0.
Any weaponry will be retrieved, but this is where we now do looks to the other side.
Now, bear in mind, obviously, Felu, the last time they played this map, was nuts.
Like, I think he ended up 23 and 9.
A lot of that was on the defensive side.
I actually think he's going to get even more opportunities to fight,
considering they only have a fight with Screenin and Orm to block him off.
But I do wonder if that's...
I do wonder if that's sort of the plan is like we know that feel is gonna want to fight us and we want to fight
It's like when we move into that second half on the attack. We didn't see anywhere near as much
Quite an aggressive stance, but they are waiting for in the wall up
Don't that might not be expected reactions there though from now be the man advantage now is the buy-around to the attack side
So we want to see them have those early fights and not overcommit the individual
duals right now given heretics the opportunities that they thrived with in
that previous map and I like this Navi slow and steady shouts outside feet up
until now Rooks it was the only one towards the spawn just watching for that
mid push and the early pressure gets him towards a offers up an orb as well
then they can late hit with a 5v4 that's all that Navi needed and they've
chosen the right side as well think back to that previous map they constantly
ran into the stack this time this is with a judge I don't know only with a judge
and only you get a headhunter and only and the ability to fall back to back
site with a point one five second timer on it so yeah I'd say this is no problem
move this position hiding in the corner he's been revealed well they
I found to get the plan down the first time, so she was bit in the bullet, but
it will get into the post now. The rest of the players with rifles, it's how much
they want to expend here. The Bulldogs can be thrown into the wind, but I do
wonder if Rianz may want to hold on to the bandle.
Yeah, 3v4 I mean it really depends on how much ground is taken in that first fight.
The player is still alive and ground being taken, yeah, you kind of got to go
for this. Very much winnable, but the time will start to apply pressure,
feel that finding one would almost end the play here.
They can just run that clock down and he's done his job.
The trade's coming in, but Heretic's running very low on time.
The Shockdarts force their hand and he's waiting for a second shock to come through.
It never does, but the time is bought nonetheless.
Very nicely played by Navi. Their first round on the board is a result.
Yeah, a decently clean one.
And this is one of the other real problems of not having a normal controller is
When you get into those post-banks, you can't close off angles.
You just have to walk around and take fights.
And that's a horrible thing to have to try and deal with,
while facing off against the post-bunt on the B-side.
So, definitely going to have to commit maybe more firepower then than they would have liked,
because a retake's definitely not going to be easy.
Of course, that was the bonus round.
There was a judge.
There were some pieces that are not going to be into this round.
But now with the rifles, the excuses fade away.
Well that would be a shot landed, that would have been really good, that could have been
awesome, but it didn't, little decoy block coming into play, that's very convenient for
Naby, and they push out to this A side with great success, come back though fighting for
that mid control, what a response by Heretic's, sure take your main fight, but we're going
to cut that split in two and fight one end of it, leaving a five versus three,
Now these numbers waiting, they've got to make a play, and that's right!
Putting into the hands of Heretics, with Hero stunned up, and soon to be gunned up,
that's another glorious round for comeback.
Again, you know, Weber sat there and the coach confession said,
if I can just be a downer for a second, you know, he's playing really good today,
but he won't always play this good.
Geez, well, you know, the consistency is alarming at this point.
Well, yeah, I feel like you've even added, and he didn't even say today, he was in that map.
In that map, we can't get that consistently.
You might just be getting lucky twice.
Weber is all ours.
He is.
He's up right now, 7 and 3.
NICE!
NICE!
Good lord.
Is someone like that giving him too much sugar?
Like, is he like a hyperactive or something?
Or maybe he's just like had 15 cups of coffee before this game.
I don't... Well, I've seen Benji get very excited,
but this is a new level.
Yeah, I don't know, it means something to him clearly.
But it's also the context now, winning that round in a medium fight back, Navi end up on a low by like,
this is signaling that we are looking at a dominant series from Team Heretics.
It's early days on this map, but, you know, you can almost count the number of rounds Navi have so far on one hand.
So, it maybe has a can.
This is a scary position to walk into, but here I've got the judge in play for comeback.
Especially after them just winning a fairly dominant round, I don't think you'd expect
that to be there.
They're going to try and push the judge?
They're going to try and push the judge?
That's a bold call.
Where's everybody else?
It's a bold call.
It's done him up, but then...
Where's everyone else?
Yeah.
He's done him up, but then yeah
Just kill come back maybe ruin his confidence a little bit, you know, cuz I'm sure this hasn't boosted it at all
Yeah, I don't anything healed up. So if you thought you'd almost killed him you haven't
They even gave him a little rifle nut. There we go. Good job. Yeah
Full-on hold my beer play by my feel I mean, I don't know what he was thinking
but you know credit to the execution was actually worse than the idea of four
is to one and it seemed how it takes climb up into the lead and again the main
thing is confidence for comeback my man is nine and four at the moment with
Navi seemingly having no answers and honestly the lack of synergy shown in
that last round is reason enough for a time out the date now called
good thing they didn't waste an oath on that push though on a low buy up
against the guy in the corner and have a judge who was stunned, at least they did, sorry never mind.
Nice! Nice good job!
There we go, a little bit more, a little bit more relaxed. Not getting many reaction shots from
the nav east side of the stage, just noticing that I don't know if that's favoritism or maybe
the vibe's a little different but uh... Can we can we get Angel Cam? See how he's feeling?
Oh, he's leant forward. He's leant forward.
It's actually worrying me more that he looks at this camp.
That tells me there's a rage behind those words.
Yeah. I can't tell if he's a little bit redder than normal if it's just a comparison to the yellow.
I think it might be the bright yellow.
I kind of like the jacket, man. I gotta be honest.
You a big fan of Kill Bill?
He needs a katana and a lot of enemies.
So yeah, it's always missing.
You are, okay. Good to know.
4-1. Hopefully this is where Narvi can find a response because, well, this was a 3 strikes and you're out.
And for both these teams, this is the 3rd strike. You lose this match, 7th to 8th, which I think is either squad.
Like, I think Heretic's... I certainly came in thinking they may even be one of the teams to go through the upper bracket, the top bracket, and make it through first time.
Coming into kickoff for sure.
They changed one player and that player was bringing in comeback.
But even still, 7th to 8th for either of them?
It would be a surprise. Another good one.
See these little ideas as well?
Early doors from Heretics.
We saw the snake bite and the shock dart sent in towards A and a previous round.
This time, again, centering around that utility coming in from Riyans
using the Hunter's Fury alongside a save slow, so those players inside B main are stuck
and then they're under a lot of fire. Now they weren't caught by it.
They fell back, but then looking for the space in window
led them right into the waiting arms of Wude.
Like, this is a really nice early play by Heretics, and a 5v4 that puts no pressure on them to make any kind of move.
I like the Sage wars, well, because they know they lost some mid control, so they just wall off main, and then they have Woot Swap where he's looking, like, it makes it so much easier for them to lock down some of these angles, but in more definitive responses.
Woot back in position once again, he can hone in on that same angle that he started off, and then they even have the slow.
So it is not like they could have died through this.
Hunts the fury, expended.
He's still in position.
Just waiting on the other side, but Worship will land the shot.
And Boos dealt with as well.
Solid openers from the side of Nabi.
Their patience paying off.
But there are still more to deal with.
OK, that did a lot of damage to Xiao.
That was a wonderful shock dart.
Maybe another one lined up here as well.
That looks like Fielder could be in trouble.
Snakebite as well, but he flees the scene.
Just in time, a Benji!
And double, not quite good enough this time.
It will be shut down as Navi find their second.
That pause evidently doing them some good.
Great pressure applied as well in that B site take.
Yeah, I think it was just the patience.
Because, as I said, when you have that wall, you have the slow.
A lot of the fighting teams will eventually get to a point
where they just want to gamble.
But I'm going to try and make a play through this,
so I'm going to make a move through it.
I also think as well, though, it's like,
we've had a lot of repositions in that round.
The one he ended on was the riskiest of the lot.
Just stood there open, not wanting to be shut down by you two.
But in the end, I think it was just the patience of Rooksik
to wait for that shot to be found.
How quick he was to get it this wall later.
Where's he going?
He's running it down with a wall up as well.
I love this.
This even looks like it's a wall to stop you pushing elbows.
So you don't really realize the full danger being
presented by this.
Really nice ideas to the early round for Heretics again.
And this is the third one I'm seeing them attack.
Deffers to the ward.
An immediate fall back to gorgeous work by Woot.
Another opening.
Another first blood at his hands.
You're seeing that in my ranked games.
Yep.
Brilliant.
Going to get killed in spawn.
Luckily, my opponents don't have as good aim as Woot.
So should Woot, though.
They've heard that drop.
He knows that Benji's in the corner.
And there's not really anywhere for Benji to go.
Take flight.
Drone.
Send through.
I imagine that will trigger some utility, the slow, and the orb, and the snakebite.
It's a lot of additional delay, and because of that again, Navier are forced into a position to move,
and they've even now thrown in the bike to spin. You definitely can't go this way anymore.
35 seconds and they look to try and wrap around behind it.
Adapting on the fly is the plan for Navier.
It's just holding in a little rat corner. Is it something they look to check?
They did, but he's now disappeared into the pit.
Counter-fitted play, perfect response from Navi.
A lot of control on that side, fully there is uncontestable.
The danger is it's very open, and with the ult active for comeback,
a spray through could cause danger, could cause problems,
but a judge in his hands, that's even more threatening.
Does he clear the correct corner though?
Up close was Ruxik, he's able to get two,
and then will finally fall, but the numbers and Navi's
favor the time ticking as well.
a big play needed and they've got every corner covered.
Three for Navi, they're not willing to let this series slip just yet.
Yeah, I really like the mid-round calls.
I like losing Xiao early.
Might have even been a blessing in disguise just because you could see that
in the moments where they start walking into chokes that have them trapped,
they know that, okay, if one player's up close, the same is also in the corner,
there isn't going to be as much presence around mid, or they can gamble on that idea.
And the wraparound and the counter pit made things so difficult.
Of course, solid play from Rooksik again to stay alive as long as he did.
But this has now reset the economy of heretics and left them with not a lot to play with, but still a playoff.
A lot of players outside the side are wudas bringing this big old gun to bear.
The first shot online, now they know the danger's there, but they still want to challenge him.
Keeping that pressure on, they know he's got to be close.
He kind of fall back but plenty of cover here to help them out feel you only good for the trade
They decide to continue pushing forward though pressing into the numbers for now at least
There won't be heretics falling apart with those weak weapons not allowing them to trade blows and Benji
one v4 look
He's had some great performances
Corode on Viper was
That was a sensation.
10-5.
Yeah.
It's not to be today.
That is always just pain.
You hit the immediate headshot and then can't quite
correct for the second shot.
Equalization there for Navi.
Three in a row.
I think they're being a little bit more patient
with a lot of these rounds.
Realising that if we try and run and go into our opponents
you might just end up in comebacks crosshair.
And that patience has paid off nicely for them.
In fact, we're now going to see a pause call by the other side.
Stem the bleeding early. Wait, we mentioned it before. The early starts, they didn't really help out Nalvi in the last map.
They lost a hell of a lot of rounds in a row.
We'll see if heretics have slightly better luck. They're coming up with an alternative.
And the worry I do have here is that I feel like this comp allows for a lot of delay on the defensive side.
I'm much more nervous about how they're going to make this work on the attack.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've been looked with the solid start that they had before 1-Lean.
You think, well, they won't need to make that many rounds work, but for heretics, yeah,
when this becomes a close game, when Navi now start to fire on all cylinders, and the
worries are there.
But they obviously have their ideas.
We've seen it on the defense so far.
There's been at least three clear cut rounds where this comp's being used for those
early fights.
You're going much harder to come up with answers to the problems Navi make for you in that second
half.
Every little helps as they build up a potential lead.
But recently, nothing but red on that timeline, three in a row for Navi, a timeout, and now
back into the swing of things.
It looks like immediately there will be another boost attempt with Woot.
Oh my!
That is ridiculous, man!
That is ridiculous man!
He's in the bushes!
He's in cover!
That's so grim!
Rooks it!
You can't have seen anything.
Can we please get that frozen and zoomed in from his brood?
I'm asking a lot here, but like, come on.
The most you could have seen in the twinkle in Wutai as he goes to kill you.
That's about all that could have been there.
Now ready on the other angle, but immediately spotted out.
Immediately known!
Hey, social was gonna win out that fight a teammate lost on the other side and so she won the pressure
Boo holding the line up close as well
And they end up cleaning this one up quickly a faster play attempted
After the pause you can understand it try and catch your opponents off
But now they didn't it was the other way around yeah very much so and especially with what we was trying there
Oh my good. Here we go. Here we go. Look at that man straight through the bushes
I genuinely wonder how that looks from the perspective of poor old Rooksic
I think the problem will be is we'll look at it from Rooksic's perspective, and it will just be him looking at an empty site
Yeah
Nothing there. See even come up on the right point. I doubt it. It's a nasty spot
But that's a that sage boost right you spend enough time on the server you get your little rewards like that
And for Navi you reckon Rooksic's going. I couldn't I couldn't see him. I think it was about a mind
was invisible. Yeah. Genuinely
could be. It is a nasty little
boost. And you know, sometimes
I see things like that and you
think, Oh, it's not. It's not
fair. But it's a sage boost.
Sage boosts are as playing as
they come. Little textures are
there for you to play with.
Crazy stuff. Five to four for
team heretics and a small
break in the action. For
heretics. I don't think
they'll mind too much. They
just got back on the board.
But yeah, I mean, in fact, he's not running around, dropping dirty, is exactly as Weber prophesied.
Well, yeah, he's still top of the board.
If that's a slowdown, I don't think you mind too much.
And obviously it was the attack side.
And I do think on the attack he's going to have to be impressive.
Because if they can get into the site, what they can do on the post-plant is filthy.
But I'm looking at him being the only real player they can look to set up.
Maybe he'll look to get the operator on the attack once again, but they also will have to deal with Filiu because that defensive side from him last time out was
Incredible that was versus Fanatic who also they were running that double dualist and it ended up as an 8-4 defensive half
So I don't think none of you are gonna be sweating just yet. I don't think they're gonna be too worried just yet
but
obviously
After losing a streak of rounds at the beginning of the game
and we saw them take a pause from then onwards.
It's looked a lot better for them,
other than losing opening picks
to very gimmicky sage boosts.
Yeah, but it is also something you're gonna have to think about
now for the rest of the map.
You've seen, what was it,
Xiao get picked off in spawn from the boost on middle.
Now you've seen,
No where is safe.
Get picked off inside the window
and if he's not perplexed,
if he's not at a minimum angry about that,
I'm not surprised.
They got picked off in the window from the wall.
Yes. Yes, he did. And so obviously that's something that you're going to want to also
think about now in every fight in every peak in every moment that you think is someone
pushing that angle when you peak way behind that angle. There might be a man who can see
you and you can't quite see him. That's going to be in the back of their minds.
And that's where I kind of come back to as well when we're talking about like this
composition I've seen so many ideas so far on the defense that I
Mean they can't have traded out like the smoke or just for that
There has to be those ideas on the attack not as easy to make work like those ones in particular
But what else do they have what other gimmicks are up there?
So already I have it's okay if with this composition for Navi
You kind of do have to be aggressive on the defense like you kind of feel you and sociable both just sitting passively because they
the utility becomes almost void,
and you're giving up a lot of space.
But my question is, what happens if they do?
Because I look at the comp, and then I go,
okay, come back, it's gonna have to just try
and run into angles and take people down.
And that, for me, is not a given.
Yes, on the last map, that did work,
but it doesn't mean it's gonna work every single time.
And other than that, it does feel like
there's a lot missing.
Like, if your opponent's genuinely just play passive,
you don't have a lot of execution utility.
You don't have a lot that can make things very awkward.
Yeah, you can try these shock dart slow combos that they've been doing and have not worked
once.
So, and on the defense it's a lot easier because you know they have to walk into one of these
chokes.
So, all the things that have worked a bit on defense, most of them I don't think work
on attacks.
So, I want to see what extra layer they have or was it just, we need 10 rounds on
the defense and then try and get through the rest.
No, surely not.
But I do agree.
Like, I also think that for heretics in the long run, running something like this,
I assume they have the attack side where they play very direct, they play very intentional.
With every PC utility, they use their three walls to get into sites.
Banshee's being a bit more, you know, you put it at the start of the round, it's telegraph,
but then you can still sort of flex to other sides of the map using a sage wall, using
a neon wall for those initial bursts, but you have to be very intentional about
where and when you use your utility.
And I think that's something that won't work ten games in a row because you'll
become very readable without that level of flex, you're really in versatility too,
It could work here. This wall is probably having someone in spawn scared. They're about to be killed by an operator
Oh, yeah, Shaz thinking about rotating back. Just not again. Not again guys. I'm gonna stay here. No you guys just go and
Buy it do what you do best find find openers
for now though
It is a bit of a slower pace like the late round for Navi is sort of their friend a lot of this utility will have been
burned out
They know the sage wall is gone. Obviously the the slow is still available
Shocked out still available and come back hasn't used any of the utility yet
He is just sat in a corner in a main side. I don't expect to see too much of it used
Especially now that the full force of Navi look to walk back into his position with a slight backstab ready from Rooksic
I thought he was giving up the ground, but himself and Benji stand tall on it.
Another for Benji already.
And now, well the rotates, they're coming in.
Back up is here from Rienz, but Benji's stuck in the corner.
They need to clear him as hard as for that.
He just denied the ace.
But the work is done.
The hard work, Shirley!
Behind them.
That plant undeniable now.
And this is Hero on the other side.
You're wise to use the Razz and bait him out as well.
He ends.
Yeah, he's got another death on the board.
The KV's suffering, but Benji's on his feet.
He's feeling good as Heretic's steam into the lead.
Six to four.
Yeah, I think every single killer he had to swap angles for.
and he starts off going to join his teammate in main.
He then realizes, okay, my orb's just about to go off.
As it fades, he peeks back towards the orb.
Insta kills, you could even see it fading
at the beginning of the clip.
Then repositions back towards the site,
is worried about sociable, takes that fight,
switches back to him again.
It's just perfect target decision-making.
Like, you had to choose the right person
at the right time.
Oh!
Oh, guys, what are you doing?
Guys, close to you!
Yeah, I think they figured it out by that point, Benji, but you know, you let them know
six to four, two rounds left to play for, still a tight half possible, and for Navi,
that's definitely far from the end of the world that's done has to lay them, and with
the hunters purely thrown through a chance for big damage denied, Navi sidestepped that
ulti.
And there's a lot of weaknesses in play for the Navi side, Shao and Rooksick not
arms to the teeth and they break out of here it's all going to be about those
numbers but heretics says they've got the crossfire to hold. Benji's even
putting up a wall to keep comeback hidden. Oh that's Philo down as well Tom.
Massive spam through the smoke by Boo. That's the thing, Benji has done a
lot of work just to continue to fake the idea that comeback is no longer in
position. He's even going to be the one peeking this angle just to
really try and sell that ideal. Luckily that wall is high on indestructible. 45 seconds.
Navi once again have to pivot their play. Still looking to try and hit this A site, but comeback
spot. As said, it should be relatively unknown. And because of that, he's able to fight back.
And that's his fight now. Yeah, they might know where it's going now. No gatecrush left to work
with either sociable just have to walk out pops a flash but they just fight the other side as Benji holds on the control
Relinquishes nothing a bit of HP fades from his bar, but his teammate comes in to fill the gap
chance for rucks it to make that costly but going into the final round all that matters is the dove on the side of
Heretics climbing further into the lead and as we said with the unknowns sitting here for the second half
This is exactly what they needed for a surge. Yeah, I think there's a real skill to knowing when to toggle
All of that by three to three when to put it into play and when not to and I think so far on this A site
Benji has been mastering that like continuously moving continuously baiting for teammates making sure he clears you too
And then also just staying alive the entire album. I do you like you expect that guy to die that guy should be taken out
Benz is a great player but when he goes on to Viper something else is unleashed inside of him.
If you watch the last copy it's pretty good at Cypher as well.
He is, he's alright.
It's Viper, Viper wins my heart every time.
And of course with that utility it's no surprise.
He gets to be a bit more active, set himself up as he has.
But this rotation from Boo is just for the healer to come back.
But with three players towards the A site, I mean they might want to strike,
look for a bit of mid control, go into where they main,
instead Sage wall mid and rotate back.
Okay, and that rotate might get there just in time, because now he is geared up for B.
He's been caught a few times, this time faced back a little bit earlier, Rience under some serious pressure, but he's managing to stay alive at the back of the site.
In fact, he's driving under the pressure, already two to his name.
Again, he's able to just reposition and go completely under the radar while Rience does the majority of the work.
The shower Mruksic
This seems like an impossible task. He knows there's a guy in the corner. He knows the reins is there
That was free but immediately boot swings for the trade. Amos, shower
Probably worried about a sage wall. He's got three more to find in this one before and only 25 seconds to do it
Has to get a fight first. He knows that plant's impossible without a kill
All the kill is found but it's by wound eight to four at the half-time deja vu here Tom as heretics
They come in, they look dominant, but the question sit here around that second half.
Yeah, for sure. It really has been one of those sort of like awkward scenarios for Navi.
They're not just looking a little bit under contention here, but we do have some worries
when it comes to that second half. Let's send it down to Ginny, who has gone under cover
with some of the Team Heretics fans.
What do you mean undercover, like I am a Team Heretic's fan and so is Julia and thank you
by the way for agreeing to do this.
You know what?
Heretic's is actually looking really good.
On a scale from 1 to 10, how excited are you for their performance?
Most definitely a 10.
I mean they are just my legends.
Winning EVC and probably Master Santiago.
We were having a little bit of a conversation about Benji, you know, him being your
goat.
Absolutely.
He is going to fish every kill.
All right. Well, thank you so much. And you know, I want to end things off with a chant. Are you are you guys ready to do one?
I mean we can do one. Okay, let's go.
Who's winning this? Team?
Team?
Team?
All right, castors you heard it here. Team Radex is winning this one.
All the predictions are certainly looking good after that first half top, doubling up on the score of Navi and a repeat of the previous
I think it was pretty decent
where they were able to sort of
spot the danger and avoid it. But
then later in the map, it seems
that every time they tried to be
more direct, they just ran into
the blender like that. They were
getting caught by a comeback
Benji combo, which they really
wanted to overwhelm and defeat
and they never did. I don't
think they did once like Benji
just was so good at staying alive.
And I was a little bit perplexed
And I was a little bit perplexed that we didn't see them try and pressure that b-side bit more because I feel like we've got caught quite often
I feel like once booze wall and like slows were used that it felt like that was a much more open site
And then they finally go back to it at the end and they go
Oh, Rienz is here now Rienz is just gonna dodge everything and kill everyone along the way
Yeah, I said as well for Benji 14 and six crazy half from him and it has been I think the last two series
he's played as well. He's just reaching these big heights digging team that needed him to. Yeah,
absolutely. I mean, this is what happens when survival is the name of the game.
Heretics find that extra level. The first half 14 and 60 leaves.
Banshee banners hulking out. Let's see how the second half is going to go. It's around 13
as Navi mount that defensive pistol with four players towards the A site. But a gate crash
can quickly send sociable over to meet Ruxik where I'm not certain that the
push is coming through but they will be applying some pressure especially
searching for that pick with loot and finding it while this is gonna cause
panic stations to be mounted on the side of Navi. That is a worry and then
Xiao goes looking you lose one side of the map you look to try and take the
other and it seems like Paratix is well aware that that was possible.
So she will now go on and are we questioned?
Last player standing.
Fight planted.
He's worried about the fight. That's what it was.
Now that's meant to be a double bounce. It's supposed to go down.
Yeah, double bounce. He's flown right up to the bomb.
The right click just didn't hit.
It didn't register. It's all good.
He clicked a little too light.
Let's stop the fuel loop.
Three more to go down though. He's at least managed to upgrade his weapon.
But no ammunition. Take a minute.
And all this... Look at what time it is.
He's bleeding, it's absolute rat.
I mean, if it's not the position,
if it's not the numbers, I mean,
the time is what's gonna cost him this.
They can throw themselves at Adam,
like, a lemmix, one after another.
He has no smoke, no wall, nothing
to cause any sort of chaos.
And even now, he still hasn't moved.
They physically cannot stop him in time.
And there's a reason Boo didn't move.
He knew, Phil was gonna look for picks
and he did look his way,
but Boo's the one that landed the kill shot.
Nine to four, Tom.
Twisting the knife really for Navi right now. I mean they are struggling to get a leg up in any regard
Yeah, I had a lot of questions about this
Attack side and I'll be honest. There's a good chance. We don't see much of it because it's just so far in the lead at this point
So many
I don't know what's happened about each other now. He is he is in a in a move. Whatever it is. It is working
Yeah, he needs to be like this every day. Absolutely
14 and it like this is an alley-oop with the ball mid-air I mean there should be
no problem for heretics a full eco essentially from now be a single bandit
on sociable what hope does the defense have and again you look back to what
worked for heretics of the defense last map it was stacking up I think a
gamble stack is the only way that you have a chance of even making this
costly big stack up of weapons or rifles in play any cost a little bit
worrying shower is in a decent position but it's immediately cleared and there
isn't really anybody there to try and trade off of it either the Viper wall in
play slows to the back of the site the postcard there's not really anything
that can be done to stop it. Nice shock dart at least but the danger goes once the heal is put through.
And now it's just picking them off as they come out. Margin for Arrow, even decent for Heretics.
They can lose a player with Benji having a pistol and he's also taking the riskier root of wrapping
around but there's no need to worry about carrying weapons forward. They remain in the hands of
of heretics with an in zone flawless to put double digits on the board and the gap now
six rounds Navi that they are running out of time that they're essentially out of time.
It's got to be here and now and it's got to be convincing. I don't want to see a 1v1 decide
around. They've got to look good from the get go.
Well, yeah, I think the most terrifying thing will actually come for other squads because
you will have watched this heritage side play versus Casey get banged out in map number
and then scrape through the series in the end.
This is the heretics that everybody fears.
The one that can just dumpster.
Even squads that have looked incredible.
And it starts...
They're walking through it,
and now Rez comes through.
They've been farming that since round one.
And it's immediately into a 4v2.
The round that needed to be the timing of the tide
might just be the nail in the coffin.
Rooksik is all that stands from a gargantuan lead.
And while even if you do damage to comeback,
Reans is there to close the round heretics are dominating. Yeah, I think I heard the in-game announcer even with a team ace being called
So everyone's sharing the weight in that round and for Navi. They're not sharing any way. They're feeling it
crushing them
Heretics 11 to 4 at this stage Tom. I like sure the pistols are going their way, but it's it's this round here
It's round 3 where Navi have advantages and
that first fight
It looked like an anti-eco for heretics. Everything is so easy for them right now
And Navi, they've had good games even look at the game against Fnatic
But it makes me question where the level of all these teams are at or even that it's a consistency
Yeah day-to-day everything's changing in EMEA
Sure
It seems like heretics
Maybe with their band setup
said at the beginning of the day they didn't ban their perma
allowed pearl into the second round so they could take out split
almost forced Narvi into this pit clearly had a good game
plan the swing through is risky though made vulnerable here on ruxxix still
that top duo
in the MEA for Benji
life down three goes to a fourth and you can't blame him at this point
If it wasn't for comeback in the first map, we would have been singing his praises even more so in that one.
On Breeze, he has been that top performer.
Chao and sociable, around that should have been theirs, now hanging in the balance.
Benji's giving them a chance.
Will missed the shot, but he gets another bite of the cherry caught behind that box,
but Boo, using the distraction, wrapping around the timing is godlike.
And now, it's all undissociable, off his shoulders, just as quickly, heretics, 12 to 4.
It's all smiles down on the stage, and who can be surprised?
He's been insane.
I would talk about the fact that we're in a meta right now where we see a lot more double controller.
Who needs a second controller when that's your first?
Who needs them?
18 and 8.
They've won 8 rounds in a row.
And if you're an RV fan you hate to see it like this is all going wrong for a
squad that started off one match away versus gentlemates to be in one of those
finals and have three bites in the chair. Exactly, all three of those finals
worst case scenario. They lose that game they go up against Fanatic and they
lose to a crashy's clutch one of the best flicks we've ever seen while
while heroes dropping plus 31 in the series.
And after a dominant breeze, now you come in against the Heretics who, well, they did not
look great.
Let's be real, for their standards, it's been pretty abysmal.
They'd lose 2-0 to GX, they lose to Navi, and they scraped the victory versus KC, and
now the other team they beat.
That was, oh yeah, off with two standards.
And now they are absolutely bodying Navi, like we're right back to, well, I guess
2024 maybe around the champs era they probably looked about there yeah it really
considering the heretics that we saw for the last two weeks to see them perform like this
and it is that lower bracket effect right crunch time came in we got one life left i guess we should
just start with story everyone actually play the game i suppose eight chances to close this out and
if there's any navi fans holding the brass for the comeback you all year oh my goodness okay
Maybe he can hold on a moment longer.
There's the comeback.
There's the comeback, yeah.
He's found the FeeLoo, and now it's a 4v4.
The thing is for Heretic, he's the man that
has been drawing a line.
Sure, comeback's had a great day.
Woot's been there as well.
But Benji Fischi, while he's still drawing breath,
you've got big problems brewing.
You can kind of put it down to anyone at this stage,
but Marvy on this map.
It's been a rough one.
I think Filu, the first player they've lost, is the man at the top of the board, which, considering he's 12 and 16, it paints a story of his own.
The heretics, they now look to challenge back towards the B site.
Show up close with a judge, but...
I almost feel like it's an angle they could get past.
He's quite far back.
Mainly because if they go mid, he could get caught, but...
It means that he needs to get a bit closer for this judge to truly do damage
and I do worry that comebacks gonna walk around this corner and into the headshot.
Oh, smoke's up and shout's down, big up.
Putty rough start to the hold, now a man behind, but sociable still on site
if they can extend that bit verbal to the back, maybe he could at least level the playing field
but look at the patience on heretics.
Benji also waiting his turn inside the elbow and they've cleared it.
They think at this point that sure they must have all went sight.
Comebacks found his third.
Benji still hasn't moved out of biding his time.
This is how little pressure Team Heretic's under.
Comeback will be denied the ace for Benji's time in the line right just beginning.
13 to 4 and even more dominant map than the first.
And one thing is for certain Heretics, they didn't come to play today.
They didn't come to win.
They came to dominate, to decimate, and mission accomplished.
If you asked me at the beginning of the day
what the result would be, what the map score would be,
I wouldn't have even given it as a two-0 to Heretic.
I don't even think I would have given them the win.
A 35-13 for dominant win, I would have called you mad.
I would have called you the Heretic's ultra at that point
if you believed that was gonna happen.
But today they come in looking
like a completely different beast.
You put this team with one life standing
and they want to cling to it.
I am very, very nervous for anybody
comes up against them next.
And for Navi, it is a bitter scenario
to be in a couple of rounds or a round away multiple times.
And they have five or six chances to defeat Fanatic
in their previous match.
We see them drop down and the recovery just was not there.
Definitely some bright sparks throughout the season,
but a long, long way to go for a team
that expectations definitely sit higher than seventh to eighth.
Well, as we say, goodbye to Navi and kickoff.
This could be the start of the run for Heretic's
finding a dominant win here.
That's still plenty more to go.
Three more series between them and Santiago Baton.
But I said, for a lower bracket team to make that run,
they can just win by a narrow margin.
They have got to look good.
They've got to look great.
And today, Heretic certainly inspired a lot of us out there
that they may still have it in them.
Yeah, that last map especially,
everybody was alive and kicking,
and I don't think there was a weak piece to the puzzle,
but seeing both Benji and comeback fry
is something that you just wanna be seeing.
It's something that you maybe don't always have expectations,
but if they perform this well, if you're in a good space.
Anyway, a man of the moment,
let's go down for the interview with Benji Fischi.
The man of the game,
What a performance you have for us today.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Yeah, I'm looking like I'm shaking a little bit.
OK.
Yeah, it's a good game.
Thank you, guys.
I think that is absolutely fair.
This was a very high intensity match, a lot of pressure,
because, of course, you are in this lower bracket.
So you've been in it for a bit now.
You've kind of gone through the motions here at kickoff.
What has been your biggest takeaway?
I think the biggest takeaway for me is that, no matter what,
Heretics is always going to be one of the top teams in EMEA.
Even if at some point we're playing bads,
we're a team where we can always come back.
We work really hard.
I think we work harder than other teams.
I think that's why we're always going
to be one of the best teams in EMEA.
Strong work ethic is always a good thing to have.
When you're talking about working hard,
when you're talking about being able to bounce back,
What does that really come down to?
I think it's just having belief in each other
and believing that we can win.
You know, when you're losing constantly, it's very difficult,
but I think that's when you need to believe the most
when you are losing, because if you end up spiraling
and nobody, people stop believing in the team,
then that's when you're just done.
So I think we've got, I've gotten pretty lucky
with my teammates that everybody has the same belief,
Everybody works for the same goal and I think that's yeah, that's how we you know, we're able to come back
That's a great place to be in as a player, but also as an organization and come see you guys gelling together as well
I mean come back today also had another pop-up performance as well
I would have loved to have a conversation with him, too
But at the end of the day to have players that can really be that spearhead for heretics to like go in and be aggressive
Do you think that that's really your strength? Is there anything else you're leading into?
I mean obviously it's important to have players that can have pop-off moments
and, you know, can carry a game, but in the end, we always believe in winning as a team.
We're not really setting one person up to be the star, you know. We're always making sure
we're winning as a team, and we, the, all of us have the potential to carry a game,
and, you know, when it happens, it's like nice. But in the end, we're always focused on
winning as a team. All right. Quick one, because there's something up right behind us.
We have a lekoid, we have GX. Do you have a favorite opponent you want to go up against?
I want to play against Miniboo.
Thank you so much. Congratulations.
That's it for us from now. We're going to be heading over to a quick little break
and be back with a second match of today.
Yes!
Come on!
NICE!
Let's gooo!
I love this game!
Wingman World, well...
Wingman World, well...
Have a break!
Have a kicker!
Wingman World while wanting a well-won break.
Let's go!
I'm so glad to lose you
I'm so glad to give you a chance
I'll burn the light
I'll never quit
I'll never fight
Quit all sacrifice
Burn up to the final hour
Take my superpower
Get my head up high
Burn it through the night
Can I see this down the side?
Take my superpower
I
Awesome, I tell the truth
Yeah, on the day of creation
I'm forever
I'll never leave, I'll never fight
Bring my sacrifice
When I'm through the fight
Yeah, I'll work, pay
It's my superpower
Yeah, I'm gonna be
I'll work, do it
In the shot, I cannot stay
This time, this time
Pay it's my superpower
I
I'll sacrifice for your beautiful night
I'll fight, fake it's my superpower
I'll give my head up high
My brain is shining
Can I sleep it down, down, down
Fake it's my superpower
I'll fight, fake it's my superpower
I would love to be a last a last rep Tony I love to be a rat
Yeah, I'd love to be a rat. Part of the rats. That's all right. You're K-Job, you're watching K-Job.
Zestify!
Oh my god!
Hello!
Oh my god!
Hey.
When I was younger, I wanted to be like an actor.
Yeah.
And...
Okay, you ready?
One, one, two.
Right side.
Oh!
That's right there.
Oh!
I can't surprise myself
This is Christ the son of a bitch
I'm there for safe
I see for default
Go, go, go
Nice
I'm gonna cheat on you
I'm gonna kill you
No, no, no, no
Oh my god, my gun went out
Jesus Christ
He's gone
We are here to show better results
So, April, let's take responsibility
Let's show what we are capable of on that server.
Doesn't matter boys, we win, we lose today.
Rennest rating, total.
Out, out, Ingram.
Good job.
Good job, good job.
Oh, down, down, down, down.
Dead, dead, dead, down, down, down.
I'm looking for assault.
Nice!
Let's go.
Let's go, let's go, guys.
Welcome back everyone to VCT EMEA kickoff
where heretics have just knocked Navi out
of the competition. A crazy sentence to be iterating, but that is just how the
crooky crumbles. Yeah, a lot easier than I thought it would be to be honest with you.
Yeah. But a huge positive for heretics, I think Navi just maybe a little slow to
react here with the maps and so on. Yeah, I think one of the things that we
highlighted in the start of the day was it's been such a fall from grace for Navi.
Yeah. You almost kind of have to argue like, okay, is this kind of a
couple of easier opponents at the start, you know, obviously it was a
rematch up against Team Heretics. So I think if anything, credit to Team Heretics for being able
to warm up into the competition. They're no stranger to a lower bracket run and now they'll be hoping
that they can make it all the way to Masters. Yeah, back to the drawing board for Navi. Heretics
and those strangers do a lower bracket run but neither is Liquid and they're going up against
their opponent today which is going to be Giant X. So want to start things off by looking at
Liquid here. What are our expectations? Because I feel like it's kind of going up and
down like initially we're like okay like up down with trend I think at the start it was like okay
and then it was like what yeah to be honest for me liquid have probably been one of the things
that have missed them up the most to be honest with you in terms of not just like a map by map
basis but overall more than 90 yeah I think so definitely I think at least for navi we were
initially talking about week one crack the meta like a little fantastic total control of the
game, Liquid is one for me that's felt like it's been more against the grain than Navi.
Yeah, it's feeling like a slow burner. Yeah. Like in the sense that. The fire.
That's crazy, but also kind of valid. I think obviously they kind of started kickoff with a
sub coming in. They didn't have playing here. So like they've had to, you know, get together in
Berlin. So yeah, I think for them it's definitely been a slow burner, but I think that we came
into kickoff already kind of setting the expectation that when we look at this team,
team liquid roster this year. It's not as high as what we had on our kind of
standings last year in the sense that we're not expecting as much as we did
last year. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. The expectations certainly are
lower. I just thought that we've only seen kind of snippets of potential for
this year. I'm certainly not sold yet. Yeah, this is definitely a rematch of
the EMEA Stage 2 Grand Finals from last year for GX. Gray, because they're
still in, you know, the same roster but then for liquid changes here and
So looking forward to see how this is going to be playing out because at the end of the day
We are in this lower bracket both of these teams are here
So both of them in some way shape or form have missed the mark
Yeah
I think like the big thing for me in this rematch is obviously things on team liquid side has changed a lot
Yeah, because of the fact that they have a new roster rebuild
But for giant X the only roster in EMEA to have not made any changes
So yeah, it's gonna be intriguing to see how they actually face up against one. Yeah
I think we were talking the other day about actually a
That seems to make no rust changes should be the ones to hit the ground running in terms of changing comps
Maybe changing their overall approach to the game and again
It's kind of just messed with giant X a little bit
Is the menace changed that severe that it has impacted GX in this way or yes? Yes? Yes
Yes, I would I would say so
I mean if we think about giant X's identity last year
It was very heavily like double-initiator and when we consider the patch changes and everything that's happened with the signature
abilities like we discussed at the very top of show, that impacts Giant X heavily because
you don't have as much information that you would usually have in this game. And so, yeah,
for them it's like, do we still lean into that double initiator? They've tried to switch
things up on a couple of the maps as well. So it feels like as much as they had a very
strong identity last year, they're another team that they have an identity, it's very
clear, but they might have to pivot away from that because of the patch dangers
that we've seen.
Yeah, and I think obviously when you have players like Cloud and Fliklis, it's
It's hard to make a decision, okay, you've got to switch something up.
We've got to talk about different roles, different compositions, but for me, it's seeing Aura
kind of have a good map here and then maybe an underporn is there, but then again, having
the same conversation around single-dualist, who do you kind of stack your chips on?
Yeah, and also going 13-n-0 again, this is kind of their bread and butter to go 13-n-0.
That's foul.
That's foul.
I tried to put it really nicely, but it just does bring a lot of questions in
in terms of like what exactly went wrong.
And when we had a conversation with Chronicle about it
afterwards, he said that it just comes down
to the composition that they went for on Abyss
and it's just not necessarily setting them up
the way that they were hoping for.
Yeah, I mean, Giant X chose Abyss against Vitaly
and with the composition that they run,
having to start on that fence side is really, really rough.
So of course Vitaly were able to take advantage
of that on their attack.
The amount of times that Giant X
just caught off guard because they had no information
and let's bear in mind the composition that they have,
Yeah, they have a Tejo drone, but other than that realistically, what active information gathering tools do you have?
They're still banging on about having this breach on a base, which we've already shared that we're not really big fans of, so yeah.
Actually, I fucking never shared it.
Do you like the breach? Do you like the base?
No.
Okay, that's what I wanted to share.
Well, yeah, for me.
I mean, you can have to tell us any more, like, that's all.
Okay.
Dumb.
I do think though, like they obviously had like a very dominant loss on a base and it is difficult
but I just think it's like a competitive in that matchup. Dominate loss is crazy though.
Yeah. No but like in matches we would usually see Westside pop off, I think in that map specifically
it was very difficult because he's just getting so overwhelmed with the double Jules competition
that was vitality we're running so it's like yes they got dominated but it's like I don't
I don't want to be too much into it. I want to try and be positive.
That's great. We can try to be positive here. We can look at their win against Ulf and of course, that's a great thing to have.
But the question remains, Ulf is a team that came through from Ascension.
So realistically, them scraping by the skin of their teeth, is that really convincing?
Yeah, I think I closed the cast the other day. The Ulf cast the other day saying,
I think actually this is worse off a liquid to go up against Ulf.
into the actual matchup in terms of the stylistic comparison.
I think I've reflected in the series yesterday,
they really had the hands full.
Yeah, that series yesterday just annoyed me,
be honest with you, if I'm not gonna lie.
Like I was sat there just literally,
like can someone just win now?
Like can someone actually just win?
I mean, look at it.
Yeah, but it didn't feel like it was anyone's game to win,
if that makes sense.
It just felt like, okay, well,
who's gonna make the first mistake?
Yeah, I think that's absolutely fair.
And also had us sit down earlier today
with Nats and Lohan to kind of like try
I'm just going to let you guys
touch up on that. That's
little Han. Thank you both so
much for joining me ahead of
your game today. You're still
in his lower bracket. Unfortunately
no strangers to the lower
bracket runs, but I think I'd
like to just get straight into
it, starting off with you,
not specifically and looking
at the ideal role, the
calling in rounds, the calling
mid rounds because now you
are playing with players that
maybe don't have as much
experience as the roster did
last year. So I'm just going
as the roster did last year.
Has that changed anything for you?
I mean, every roster changed something.
I think there is a lot of free adjustments.
And as I mentioned yesterday,
there is, we still need to understand what is,
where we are good at and where we are bad at.
We are still on that phase.
Let's see how it will be later on.
Then from the coach's perspective,
I'd like to kind of hear the same thing
in terms of what it's like to take the steps
of figuring out what's necessary,
what you're good at, what you're bad at
and just the eye-jealing as well?
Yeah, I think we are still using kickoff a bit
as a touching ground to understand what are our strengths,
our weaknesses, what type of game we want to play.
Honestly, we're still trying to find our true identity,
and I'm confident with time we'll get there.
Realistically, how much time does a roster really
need to be able to find their identity?
Depends.
I think every roster is different, honestly.
Depends a lot on the player's experience
of the players, the system that they have in place.
Sometimes you give the direction.
It works at first, right?
Sometimes you need to go for the second, third try
and keep trying.
And after that, that's what you're doing.
We keep trying and we're giving up.
Yeah, today's kind of, because it's a little bracket,
I mean, I love how you guys are talking about time
and trying, but it is do or die.
You have to be able to win this game.
Does that in any way, shape or form
potentially change the approach in regards
of the amount of pressure that's being put on the roster,
that's being put on individuals that you're putting on yourself as walnuts?
Low bracket is always cool.
I don't think I ever went by upper bracket anywhere in any tournament.
So I think that's the most interesting part.
I'm not really a big fan of playing the games without the pressure where you can lose
and you go lower.
And I always was saying that I prefer more if you lose, you go out from the tournament.
The question with respect to then, you're sitting in the booth,
watching your play, it's playing this low bracket obviously you're gonna have a
couple of heart attacks here and there. How is that for you? I mean I lose my mind
quite often. I also I honestly really love these high pressure games. You know
of the day like these types of runs going through the lower bracket even if
it was last year as an example it shaped us a lot for the rest of the
year. So we need to take all of these experiences, learning experience for the
future, learn from it, get better and as long as you understand what
direction you need to go. I think lower bracket is actually quite better than
going through uppers honestly because sometimes you just win-win and you
really understand what you need to improve. I think going through lowers
making the mistakes is when we actually learn and improve and
understand what are the next steps that we need to take as a team.
So really looking at it more as a blessing in disguise rather than the
curse that yo we might be out. Then in the sense of you guys played the
game yesterday against Ulf and I'm assuming it wasn't necessarily the
results that you guys were hoping for. You have a very short turnaround to make
yesterday work into the game today. What has that been in terms of focusing on a
small improvement or anything that you think would make the biggest difference
today?
A bit about yesterday's game I think again I don't think anyone can come in to
kick off and expect any easy games honestly. It's very low into the year
the teams are still finding themselves. There's very few teams that are
consistent with playing at high level right now and I think yesterday it's
again a learning experience for us and even though on paper we might people
might expect to be an easy game it's never an easy game we can never come into
this game especially around today or and expect oh it's going to be easy we
went from it to understand what we did good when something bad and for today
we need to improve the things that you did but for you Nats quick turnaround
from yesterday to today I know we had the interview at the end of the game
you're like we'll look at the game we'll see what goes what's the
the difference between Nats from yesterday and Nats from today.
Let's see on the server.
I want to know now!
No, we'll find out on the server today.
Well guys, thank you so much for your time and for your answers to questions.
We'll let you go.
Good luck with your game later today, and desk, back to you.
Thank you very much.
It's difficult not to crack.
Don't want to give me any information.
That was like a long chat coming out from the side of Liquid,
but in regards to what we can expect from them today,
in regards to what the...
you
you
you
you
you
I like to roll instead of the falling things that lack up these players really to try out.
Yeah, for sure.
Pearl's second map that we're going to be looking at, from liquid side of things, I mean this looks like a solid map, also one that they're not going to be uncomfortable with.
Yeah, I mean the two wins that they've had have gone too over time, so I don't know, too much about comfortable.
I mean they're not going to go into this and be like, oh no, what are we going to do?
Nothing dude.
They're running the same composition.
The comfort is something that they're talking about, so it feels like that's what we can expect.
we can expect. On the pearl point though, I find it really interesting that they've chosen to start
on the attack when we think about the composition that Team Litford run on pearl because to me,
it doesn't feel like a super strong attack composition. Yeah, players are also getting
comfortable on their razor chairs to make sure that they are able to attack. Wink, wink.
But I want to continue this discussion here on pearl because I also want to look at it from
like the GX perspective and how it's gone for them against gentlemates. Wasn't too convincing.
Yeah, I mean they've not really had an opportunity to play into it though because it's been banned against them the last two series that they've played
So hopefully they've taken some learnings from that game against general mates and we'll be able to apply it today
And this is another composition that kind of comes on the question for John X
Where it's like we're still forcing the KO where it feels like a lot of teams have moved away from that
So that feels like it's gonna be quite on the nose in terms of the meta discussion we're having still for me
Flickless is a comfortable role
there's still always a possibility for them to put up a solid performance.
Then Binds, second time I'm going to use a sentence today,
when or if we get to Bind.
I thought we would have been the first to now, but yeah, I'm out of this one.
I find it kind of funny that the last two maps that Gynx had to choose from
was a Biss or Bind, like, what do we go to? I wonder.
This has turned out perfectly.
Yeah, 100%. But I do think it's kind of weird in the sense that
the two times that Gynx has chosen to play Binds,
They've lost it the two times, so I think if it does get to that point, it does become
Shaky territory because of course we've not seen it from Team Liquid and kickoff just yet
And you look at the coaching staff on the Team Liquid side
They are preppers and they will have put in a lot of prep towards that kind of map
And yes, even an anti-strap. Historically one of Nats is favorite maps as well to be able to really cook up again
The trademark Nats setup was obviously
I think for Giant X we kind of had said that when they played this map last time like they should be able to win it because if you want to talk about comfort rules, this is the most comfortable, I think that Giant X could ever be so it was unfortunate that they weren't able to close the gap.
We kind of had said that when they played this map last time like they should be able to win it because if you want to talk about comfort rules
This is the most comfortable as come face against yeah
The giant X could ever be so it was unfortunate that they weren't able to close that map out against vitality
But in saying that they were able to find out decent enough comeback
The vibe seemed to be high and then looking at team like which we we love this composition from them
Yeah, absolutely
This is this is sort of what I want to see liquid probably tap into a little more in terms of moving forward this year
But again, it's been the peak for me in kickoff seeing the performance on breeze a lot of this
Unfortunately low hanging fruit it rides on our support system in place have people on the rolls on the agents that you'd expect to see them on
This is gonna be it but that works from them last year this time around here in this lower bracket the meta has changed
The pressure is on we heard both NASA low and talk about how they actually like the pressure
They lost the perform under it question. Is it the same fridge yet?
because again this is it for you in kickoff. What have these teams done home?
Yeah I mean when we think about Giant X being under pressure I think back to that
lower bracket run that they had to have in stage two of last year to make it to
champs and of course Team Liquid when I think of them in lower bracket runs I
think of kickoff for them last year making it to that first Masters event
of the year. So yeah both teams, barely comfortable under pressure I would say
and know what it takes to be able to make it to those football events.
Securial of position for both of them to be in but ultimately we already
pressure upon this the fact that these are two things that have had international
appearances last year and now there is a chance where one of them just there is a
reality the world we live in one of them just doesn't even go yeah that's
crazy to think about again with liquid the question around international
performances will park that a little bit so you're saying kickoff wasn't
international last year no comment okay and with that no comments we're gonna
be heading over to our casters who I'm sure have a lot of comments so
So, how's the Cairo? Start commenting.
Thank you. That we will try and do to the best of our ability.
In a game where one of our Stage 2 Grand Finalists from last year will be sent home in kickoff here, Cairo.
It was a labored liquid performance last night, GX with an extra day's rest.
They'll be feeling fresh coming into this one.
Yeah, it feels as if after that series yesterday, the real winners will join X,
just because Team Liquid had a relief to win that series against Ulf.
of. But the key, like, asterisks to that is Giant X haven't won a single map or registered
a win on any of these maps. And that's Vito. Yeah, the Vito not looking the best for them,
the desk discussing it as well, Breeze. Full Liquid should signal a strong start here, as
it was yesterday, rebounding off of that initial loss to Ulf. And here we go. GX have
have never beat Team Liquid in DCT history.
Now, good time to start.
Secondly, no time like the present.
That's exactly it.
Ara looking to play on the front lines,
but pushed off through the ill drone
and so the utility being flung forward.
But it's just Grubby and Ara.
Look at it take the timing.
Well played by Grubby.
But Ara manages to dodge the relay ball.
Place well.
Good scan coming through from Clouds.
Looks like both players were just about to escape!
The good shots from Popple!
Yeah, no liquid responding here actually, three on three situation now
and perhaps a chance to get the spike up after the shots expire.
Oh, a little bit chaotic here, and still no settle at all that spake.
Looking to get through the utility and finally it looks to go down.
Yes, Slate is clean on both sides, he's flying from west side though,
he's caught the attention of Liquid, they're now fighting in the site together.
Yeah, no, they're pushed forward and towards Flecklust and Clude
as they hold on. At least the band is, but Purple wins out against his opposite number
first. Fletchler's now up. Where's he coming into the perfect time? And now he's up to
Wayne, a player who started off brilliantly on Breeze yesterday. We'll have to live up
to that same performance now, but they're just going to try and stack it, and it's
going to be worse than he to hold in town. Three for him, and a pistol for Giant X.
Yeah, good start for GX.
The round went to the ropes, I think, in portions,
but a conversation I want to bring up nice and early here
is a potential initiated experience
gift that we see between the two sides.
It was a fantastic reveal from Clow to Stark.
And we know how good Flickless has been recently
on the KL as well.
Plus, I'm stealing the show here.
Getting GX on the board early.
I think, yeah, you're absolutely
spawn in terms of just an experience not just on the initial front but just as a
full team I mean yeah the desk we're talking about it as well in terms of
like what Giant X should have been able to do seems if it's gonna be very quick
pop towards the site sure Giant X do have the advantage in terms of the
weapons but strengthen numbers could help out team like with here
already quite a bit of damage shaved off with these liquid players it's five
classics that they're up against here GX but already two members down. Clued really
only on a bandit so it doesn't look all that grateful giant nicks especially since
Weenies managed to get a bulldog. Dron already sent in to clear, Pappo noted, Molly, Shucks.
All of it coming out of the woodwork here for GX but still have to find that first
engagement way in one with his own bulldog and now it is just the bandit that you
spoke about silver lining is a lot of these liquid players are low yeah but
the team is getting low here I think the outlaws the weapon the cloud was looking
for he's gone back to the sidearm now and even with this plant around the corner
still it just doesn't favor him the liquid will bag a thrifty response
round two yeah it's literally that strength and numbers I agree flank grown
from many blue to catch the players off guard giant X just not aware of the
at all and really well played from Team Liquid from just a micro perspective, a conversation
we were having yesterday about micro versus macro. Yeah, I mean, when you look at both
of these teams, the start of the poll top of the start is interesting that GX hadn't
beaten Liquid because the thread that connects both of them is that Cloud and Nats have
been permanent members of either of those teams and when you look at their own individual
had to head records. Well, Cloud hasn't been that since 2021. I was a bit surprised reading
that up myself, but now both as in-game leaders as of last year, another year that that trend continues.
Like we're doing what we were doing yesterday against Oath in terms of being very
very slow in the uptake, making sure to take the time in terms of clearing things out, so
nice paranoia or counter paranoia, but purple with the spam does grab the jet holding on
to A main. Big question mark now for Giant X to try and
reclaim maybe in the future, but that knife just does that, so in the meantime Team Liquid
head towards the other side of the map, but it's with the Giant X.
It's a fairly shallow knife that used to be a set of stairs that you could throw
and get it on top of the roof there but not anymore. Liquid actually doubling down on the
A-hit. That's through double doors this time. Yeah. This is a very strong call from the
attack so far from Nats. It seems they'll be next to no issues in terms of getting their
spake down. The only problem they do have is obviously that mean portion. Ruby's still
holding onto this. Only a classic but seems to be the going leg for kills at the moment,
to be noted. And that's does
have control of spawn. So please
will have to force the way in
through other means. Liquid do
have. The entry routes held
down as it stands. West side
is shorty out and so that sets
you up to suggest that liquid
will be taking the lead here as
was very much expected at the
start of the round. Not too
much done to get to the
not too much done to really cause them too many issues and that's where we're
wondering heading into the rifle rounds heading into those purchases where we can
start to see our on this defense with a rifle in his hands with an op even how
much impact he's going to be able to have yeah I mean that's a big conversation
point about it's got weapons as a whole obviously BBL being the team that
everybody's been speaking about in terms of the scope weaponry and how
levels Rocks being able to really make that work but Arrow I was expecting to
also be able to live up to that standard and I mean especially in that last game
that we saw from Giant X in the Vitality game I really felt as if Arrow was
off-form with his open skills. Scope weaponry in general. Yeah that's one
that we can shelve for a little bit later I think in terms of this liquid
bonus it's very strong and if you want to talk scope weapons it's been
that's a lot of the time that's been holding on to the outlaw despite the other players in the line-up.
Those have his operator as well, but it's Westerseed's spam instead who picks up a kill.
Yeah, really strong start, Camo gone, some of that initial gap close now missing as well.
And the flashes. So what do Liquid want to try and do here? Looks like they are going to
regroup and still try and commit to a finish here on B.
the
way, say though, who still hasn't been cleared
tucked away in the corner, mini boot
already around the elbow side chance.
Him to potentially jump up and cause an issue.
GX starting to drift away from this one, actually.
Arra has the line from main, but they're just none the wiser.
And who's going to play discipline?
I love this, especially when you've got way, say, and that corner.
We spoke about
Oh, nice straight through from many boot
manages to get both players
It opens up that BC all by himself brilliant comes the moment when you feel like his eyes may have been bigger than his stomach
But manages to get them both wrangle the spray
Jax man disadvantage coming back through and groovy is dead early on this fight
Yeah, and no team like we get even stronger with the numbers as both players are having to force a weed to CT
Nice shots from Claude door. So remaining three are all on me
I mean, they're trying to play post-plan in terms of what they've got.
There is no mollies, first of the shot goes though, and it's just not enough time, and
that op needs to be kept for GX, Liquid continuing to add to this lead now after that anti-eco.
Yeah, very nicely played, and I think it all just comes from money booing, that's the
biggest aspect here, giant X. Once again, this is the second run I would pin down
to not being all real of the map and the weaknesses.
thing towards the the anti-collab was a plus one and no this is a second game with
money boogie in all the way deep end to say such a nice play and even just the
awareness here as well from Wayne I did a bloody flanking now done it in an
official VCT match as well well done many bit but that's what I'm talking
about right you expect liquid to have done their homework even yeah if they
are stressed for time there and just reading some of the tendencies of
gx here in their retakes. Still have the op though with ara, unfortunately enough doesn't
look like it's going to get tested any time early.
Gobe though, looking to clear on the edge, Nats was already by the smoke and that's why
that's execute is going to be all steam ahead now as flicklers tries to get something
working here with the flashes but it doesn't discredit anyone and his body's here for
I mean, more importantly was clothes rave for but it hasn't owned any opportunity to get activated
You know cloud running back in just looking for the info
This is a lost cause now with that next rifle going down
West side getting ready to bunker, but that's is on the hunt
He's bought the outlaw specifically for this purpose. And when you look at the money the GX have or liquid have sorry
How does one show?
This is what you've got to be hunting down. I will win the duel though
Still plenty of bodies that liquid could throw at us. Yeah, and Westsay could rescue a rifle here as well
So actually with them only being three alt points between them off picking up a couple extra alts here
How much more the liquid really want to try and test looks like Wayne would have been the next in the firing line
But teepees away they cut their losses and liquid move up to four
that they do. I mean yesterday, sorry not yesterday, it feels as if all the days are
mentioned into one. The other day when we saw Giant X play up against Vitality, I
think the, what we saw was like a real back-and-forth game, right? Giant X making
issues of themselves and especially with a day to practice and even seeing
Team Liquid's breeze yesterday to be allowed into the veto and I thought
Giant X would show us something more than what they have in these initial
rounds in fact if anything I'd actually argue that they look weaker than the D against Vitality.
Yeah I mean I guess the difference yeah sure the difference being with that game is that you
know first map was a 13-0 had to bounce back into the second they did get into it eventually
but as you say Liquid running high with the momentum right now as they send it surging into
the A site miniboo leading that line and again slips for there didn't look like Westside knew
way to look and as he drops as a five versus three no way back in for GX right now.
You have a spade going down without any issues and I mean ultimates if they really want to
play for it but Team Liquid have control of every portion of the map especially with
the man on mid and players in main. There was no way Team Liquid could lose that round.
Mini Boots are closing up three from him. Another round where GX caught sleeping and
liquid just happy to carry things on the way that they have been very very
clinical in moments when they've managed to find an opening and I have to
say MiniBoo has really been on top of things right now. He has shown us a
different level and MiniBoo certainly has been a highlight for Team Liquid in
terms of and what he can show us especially on Neon where he'll be
most comfortable. So another gun round here for GX to try and get something done. And as
it stands, Liquid have a mid focus but they've split it through elbow as well, a position
which is unclear by CloudStone so Flix wants to keep his wits about him here. Yeah, but
he's just walked straight around to mid. I mean, sure you can see Adder ready to
to play Belford, but straight away Nats has clawed, off guard.
Yeah, just full punished and there's no tradability.
Aura's looking for something else before the tailwind expires.
This is definitely my end.
We'll get the better of Nats and Gruby goes one further.
So GX do have fight back in this round,
but still we yet to see them close these positions.
Yeah, but once again, look at what we've saved.
That's the most important position here.
Cloud catches one off guard,
but it's going to be a trade, and we're saved.
That player we could see being the troll cop
certainly comes out on top.
No security for Perpo to try and get the plant in here.
That's the ult to play off, but no position to really make it a possibility.
Ruby, cleaning it up in the end, and GX finally back to winning ways.
First time since the pistol.
Yeah, won in Leeds, but was it really them?
Won in it because Liquid was starting to show a real sense of disrespect to their opponents,
and there was just treated the legit...
I don't know, I feel as if Team Liquid had caught the...
The second is the JLMX for Fallen 2 for the past couple of rounds.
Like you say, we need to see this become repeatable for them.
I think one of my big takeaways from the...
Oh! Oh!
Did I?
And one of the things I took away from the Liquid game the other day...
Hang on a second here.
It was individual moments.
Is there one from Arab attention?
Miniboo gets things started.
Quick trade, Grubby trying to follow it up.
high intensity about this defense right now in the opening stages I'm licking this
from giant x is the continue to go that way root can see groby taking extra space
out of his will he's managed to keep himself heading for just a little bit
long got groby in the midst of this I mean liquid losing the main control
should be clearing out his position to the other utility to well it's a
question of whether they want to use it. Perpo certainly thinking about it. Goes in solo.
That's wake. Still no follow up, but it just gives Ruby a chance to take two. I mean, you're
even going to get the Huntals Fury activated off the back of it just in case there was more,
but Nais able to get his opposite number. No team liquid need to fight back to get that
spake. And look at the team. Well, there is just about enough of it. It's more a fact that
The GX have now fully repositioned.
Grubby, inside the smoke, actually,
Camo faking it out, and with a nice use of the TP, does give them a green light for A.
Yeah, but they don't have the clear advantage.
The Dome 1 compared to Jankx, and look at... that's the course to say the defense.
Camo bridging the gap, Nat's here as well.
The screen giving them enough safety for now.
Cloud not willing to disrespect it, but look at Grubby, and he's wrapped in behind.
The first couple shots are wild, and the follow-up is no better.
Come on, let's go!
No way, Nats!
A quad kill out of Fiddler!
And Liquid will keep moving forwards.
You can talk about Nats' performances in the past few series, but I'm telling you,
he's always got the goods when it comes to a clutch.
Excellent stuff to carry Team Liquid to a sec.
No rain to win this out.
the
kickoff. You can't disrespect any team, but also how symptomatic some of these situations have been of the time of year that we're currently in is
this lower bracket does really feel like a work in progress. I mean, errors made on both sides in that round, Cairo.
Yeah, that's the big thing, it seems to be who can make the least mistakes, not who can punish the most.
I'm coming back to what I was setting up in the previous round is that Liquid's wing condition at the start of Breeze yesterday against
Orph was just having big individual moments and I think that is always going to be the going right if you can get them performing to the best of their abilities.
Camo leading the charge here and a nice combination should have Westside dead to right.
Yeah, oh, nearly hit chance, but at least Flickless is able to take a counter on the same time, but he's all alone on site.
Well, flank coming in, Puppo aware of it, and just happy to take these fights, trades it out.
And Miniboo with three more to finish it off, Liquid now with an advantage on the half confirmed.
Yeah, I mean, obviously that's not why they've invested the Ultimates to make sure they at least get seven here.
But at the same time, they were up against an equal by four giant X.
We're going to see still a heavy investment coming through, still wanting to get our back on that operator.
And it's going to cost giant X. If they lose this round, team Liquid up to eight, playing against the economy by an equal by.
Yeah. Something off of the reduced shelf.
But now GX are running out of excuses, they have the open play, the ult's available if
required.
MiniBoo charging into the darkness and very quickly sent to that place exactly, Grubby
with a quick double, Cloud one more.
Just some of these rounds are so fast paced.
Yeah, it'd be massive for GX to get there stunned flawlessly.
There's both remaining on the team Liquid State.
to find the gap in which to walk. The fact that we're safe as so so as so low would be
a great pressure point to try and use is fully repositioned. Just not expecting Westside to
be so far up close towards the main choke. Having dropped off with the position of the
spike right now in double doors so Papa goes one versus five and it's an attempt which
which is almost fated to lose, as we're expecting, does have a little bit of time to work with,
but not a whole bunch, especially considering that if you take that spake, you're going to
want to try and go to the east side, and that's well stocked for the giant X side.
So with that, we're expecting this to be a defender's win.
Yeah, very much should be.
So taking a step back then and looking forward to sort of the future rounds in mind
with what we've seen in the last couple, but we had that conversation right at the start,
the initiator diff in terms of at least the experience on the role. We know Papo was playing
this a while ago and I think we saw the combination on the previous with the Alts. It was up against
the Eco. It's kind of difficult to read into, right? I think the question that you're
asking here is between Liquid and GX, it's finding out what works with this new lineup
Versus the GX side which knew what worked for them in the past, but now maybe have to change that up a little bit
Yeah, it's time to move into something a little bit more uncomfortable
What has Giant X been working on in the off-season because we saw them when on the
The off-season tournament in Blender, right? They showed a good performance there
But since then they were playing against tier 2 and put opponents and things like that
We need to see something more coming in to kick off and it feels like for me giant X maybe
Haven't been walking on a whole bunch in terms of new things trying to be more aligned with the matter
That's the distinction to make
I'm not saying if not that anything
They too the job
He mentioned very much buy the book and
I'll get some set this up. No one really running hot on the GX side right now and backed into
the corner. Flickless will fold under the pressure that MiniBoo presents. Only Westside left here
now. Black coming through from Grubby. That goes cancelled. Kamal aware of it. Just keeping
tabs as Westside still has slipped around here and will want to cut off that spike
making his tracks if he can, but detected it's an issue.
And Ara is the next best chance at stopping that plant
and he'll just interrupt it.
Yeah, he's successful in doing so
and you can see already GX,
he wants to make a move off the back over.
Is it please stop the plant ground?
Hmm, which means that this position from Wayne
ends up becoming incredibly strong though.
Spike is planted for him.
And with every wrap into elbow,
I don't think GX are expecting this at all.
It's the one that has been highlighted still.
No one any wiser as to where has got to be.
Wayne has gone off to.
So he finds a quick double
and Ara just has to walk away from this one.
It's a closed case.
Liquid have found a way to find eight here.
Clever reposition from Wayne and that's all it took.
Fantastic.
I'm gonna talk about it just briefly
Wayne had a great start yesterday on Breeze and I mean overall he's shown his
goods time and time again that he was a top pickup I mean he was the top rated
player on the on Breeze 14 liquid ECS obviously second highest and it was his
best performance by far and you consider just the amount of games that it
sometimes takes for a player not only new to BCT but new to the region can
take one shy of 60 kills 27 assists the proof is in the result a lot of that
stemming from what is comfortable for him and for our it's this op again gets the
line early but many who had already crossed so the dash is conservative but
smart three players identified through that elbow position and pens to perhaps
school one step further. Just made the team like we'd want to try and walk.
Rubies up in this elevated position again gives it up. Camo just to be able to
bike down on cloud court in the drone. Liquid using their own in the meantime
to scale through mid but with Nats finding another pick on A what is the
call here? Looks like they do want to finish on this side of the map. Yeah
but still GX are being attracted to this and you can see Flecklis just
gravity and
Into the middle the back of state up against nurse
He won versus one, but that's where it has the jump on flick list there from the corner
Final round of the half hour has to give this one a go
There's no more saving the off of which we are yet to really see the value of the impact
With the pit in play it just chokes him out of anything really yeah
Having to get up close to the pin, I snore the opponent and it's not where you want to be.
Oh, even at range still, the shots won't land. Shorty in hand.
Our trying to search for anything here, but GX have really let go of this half ever since that
second round. Liquid giving a foot in the door and just building on the momentum that they had.
Nothing gained from the position there and then in zone flawless to end the opening 12.
Yeah, a fantastic attacking half from Tim Lickwood, well-coded by Natsyn,
Giant Hicks just maybe faulting a little bit, I'm surprised at the performance so far.
Yeah, it's not been the best for them, but still a chance to turn things around on the second
half of Breeze coming up. Your body knows a sense of victory sees when mind, movement,
and gear ignite is one.
Step into your zone.
Designed to win.
to keep themselves in Breeze,
a pick which liquid very much
made their own over the last few
matches and play that we really
want to focus on here is our
now looking at the stats. It's
important to contextualize this
one real quick. The impact
of the game. It's a game that
has a lot of impact rate
cooked up by none other than
Captain cow and a flim the
analysts from Navi. Essentially
it's all kills divided by
all uses. So 100% means that the
player gets an all kill every
single time they use it. 0%
No kills an hour 14 out of
15 possible of users. Yeah for
the person who's bought it the
most. You just feel like we're
not getting that return at the
or in terms of if he's up towards the like laced and tin but right now
Ara just hasn't shown up when we need him to and when he was on the rifle against
Vitality he was really showing us goods then. You may have to wait a while
before we see that up come out, if at all of course on the attack side. Should be
stronger for GX without breezes. Tended to lie mate. So close to finding a
A double there even in main.
But it will run dry and
Purple now does have support in back sight.
Finds another and very nearly gets Fliklus as well.
But his own two kills have managed to keep GX with an advantage.
One which doesn't last for long.
And look at both players on the attack. The swallow.
14 HP between the two of them.
And just one flash on Fliklus to even get you a little bit excited about what could be done here.
Yeah, but you look at this you can see many booze ween for ween to get into possession
Yeah, and but what point did you start to realize this flick?
Let's just flashing himself out for a little bit of information does concede the positioning at the same time
Wayne locks it in for liquid
First pistol round in this map
But with how the start of the first half when it has been one-way traffic it really has and
And considering that, it's strange to think about the position that we find ourselves
in, right?
What you think towards the other match I've been referencing a lot in terms of against
vitality and giant enemies?
That was if when you moved onto the attack, that's when they really showed their goods.
It's the ace-stealer, ace-denier, I'm guessing it means, right?
A poem on the other team, having an ace taken away.
You'd be raging.
We're dealing area.
You would.
Well, GX need all they can get right now.
It's a four-spire with three stingers, two sheriffs, looking a little rough around the
edges and like we're just smoothin' it out, midi-boo with two.
Still have numbers here, but Cam is going to be careful.
He's the only player on beat.
Yeah, if he gets caught out, he goes to two versus two.
That's one left, and tries to stand his ground, bruh.
So, three from Kano.
That might just be the nail in the coffin.
Yeah, especially when giant eggs have used every piece
that they could possibly have, did they force in again?
Looks like it's not going to be the case.
A couple of sheriffs in the mix.
That would be the most worrying part,
if you think, though, a second-time round.
Like, momentum was a huge aspect
to Liquid's breeze yesterday against Ulf. Off the back of the loss, Ulf, I'm getting
a little excited, riled up. That's what it was, it was Nazi speech firing them through
the first six rounds, but here it's been, you know, no conversion after a pistol, now
a force which hasn't worked. It's feeling so far out of reach. First point in time,
the thing that we can see about it is Team Liquid's peck, and all it's harsh to
to see when there's still rooms to play, but Giant Axe for the most part, haven't shown us
scenes of leaf yet, and it just makes you wonder, what is it that would need to change
for them to find some more success here? We know as a team they have not been wedded
to the idea of playing double duelist at all, which is very much in vogue at the moment.
Performing the way he is he just feel like there needs to be a little bit more behind this
Liquid finding the kills that they're expected to hit
If GX had anything in the past it was synergy, but still they looking disconnected at this point
It seems there is deathmatch take
Make sure it's from Claude, but overall team like me. They're just deaf and giant X when it comes to the weapon and engagements
As much as you've brought up that vitality game as well, I guess
that we may soon be seeing is
an incredibly slow start.
Liquid already on that point.
GX playing catch up with just
three rounds.
Might be the only three rounds
they get between their last two
opening maps, Kyra.
I mean, in playoffs, you can't
afford to start this slow.
You really can.
And to think that, ah,
you're an elimination match.
You were split through
Grand Finals.
You went to champs, and then
that's just how your kickoff
begins.
Sure, meta change.
Probably the biggest shift
biggest shift we've seen and valorant so far but come on man it's got to be
better than this there's only so many excuses you can drift in this can't get
worse than this can it you know you don't know liquid now just running it
straight down mid up the guards can I drop the spike in the midi boost there
with him as well it's an absolute massacre right now GX don't want to
back seat. Finally, they look to
see his control of the
situation. And even fake back
for the spake. Tim like with
Neable was stepped to the spake
back in giant X's hands. An
opportunity to keep themselves
alive at least around longer.
Wayne has the alt. He can
reposition if required needs
to win this first fight, though,
and it's all West Side. So
Yeah, well, we have to team like with they've got what they came for and still want more
I bet too greedy perhaps but
Jax do well to try and get what they want to try and fight back and and really come through the venue
Definitely one of those situations where you're prone to overheat when everything is working out for you
Look like liquid with the advantage. They had not a single casualty in that mid incision
Happy to play this one. I mean talk of double-dualist partnerships. Miniboo and camo
Looking great so far in this series. They have but it's been more Miniboo than it has Camo
In terms of the kills department at least sure not one without the other I suppose but here come GX up to the B site
the first map. Let's find out
some thoughts from Wayne after
that first map. Highway and
again. That was a really great
performance. You guys won the
first map here in the series,
which is a new one for kickoff.
Can you give us a bit more
insight in regards to playing in
these compositions in EMEA and
also Pacific? Yeah, I think
it's going to be a great
opportunity for us to see
some of the players that
are going to be playing
in the next few weeks.
So, I'm going to give you
some insight into that
first map, and then
we're going to go ahead
and we're going to go
and also specific.
I think there really isn't much difference for me.
I think we're just playing our game right now and everyone's feeling really confident,
so I think that's why it was pretty dominant for me at one.
Alright, well thank you so much.
We're going to let you go.
We have a little break and then straight after we'll be jumping into the second
map of the series.
So stick around.
Your body knows. A sense of victory. Seize when mind, movement, and gear ignite is one.
Now, step into your zone. Designed to win.
you
you
you
you
you
This is probably the best we've seen of Liquid. So I was really sure that you hear that that's something they're probably tapping into and maybe looking to double down on it again. I mean reps are going to be especially a rep like that.
especially a rep like that is certainly going to make things feel better. Yeah, I like what he said though about like maybe not necessarily the roles, like the roles which are round a bit, but like the fact that it's like yes, this is our identity but roles people switch around I guess is kind of maybe what
will harm us alluding to that. I like that because that shows that this team very much does have flexibility and aren't afraid to explore that which is going to be a strength for them should they want to continue throughout this Lord bracket.
Yeah, he also came across as a proud father, which is very happy to see as well when it comes to Liquid.
Because historically when it comes to the first map, when it comes to Liquid and kickoff, they're not best friends.
No, I don't think that's it. No other way to say this, again Liquid historically are a team that, well, not a team, an organization that have come under the banner of chokers.
So constantly playing from behind, but also then Lohan alluded to, hey, we welcome the pressure.
But okay, cool, maybe we're in the base of the opposite of GYDX, we're happy to start
from one map down with slow starters, but certainly here you've got to feel good coming
out of a map one like that.
From liquid to solid is crazy, sorry, that just really made me laugh.
Whoever's doing the little lower thirds, congratulations, I think you're doing a
great job.
But for liquid side of things, I mean, they're talking about liking the pressure.
I think this, if anything, takes off a little bit of the pressure here, because
it is the best of three series, but all in all, they look good, they look alive,
They look like they have an identity that they are moving forward and that is what we
want to see.
From the GX side of things, however, that was not the case.
Yeah, I think it's kind of interesting as well because we teed this up as the composition
that Giant X are running should be their bread and buttered.
This should be something that they are the most comfortable with.
I think as well, on the other side of Team Liquid not being able to pick up a first
map throughout kickoff, Giant X are probably okay with not being able to win the
first map when we think about the roster historically throughout last year they usually
start the series being one map down so they're also probably just like that's alright we'll
just go to our map pick next and it'll be fine.
You're putting yourself under so much more immense pressure by losing that first map
and I know of course it comes down to the performance on the day there's a lot of things
that are you know being part of it but it's not a great position to be in.
Nope.
It's never nice to be able to sit here and say yeah we have elimination on the
line. Now we have one map of a
buffer. Wow. And it being this
buffer. Yeah, and especially
also when you're going up
against liquid that seems to
be completely on fire. Mini
great example of a player that
was in the server today. Oh,
yeah, he wants to go up against
his former organization against
team hero takes right the way
that he was performing today.
I think is really good. And I
think again, it leads into team
liquid and discovering the
identity. I mean, this is
just all man. Yeah, and again
plays like this. It's just beautiful to watch. Considering that one clip from last time.
Do we really have to talk about that? I will always talk about that.
For people who aren't new here, who are just tuning in, what exactly are the contents of Darklet?
The whiff, the generational whiff on Haven. Was it a T.P.?
It was not I so well. Yeah, it was you I so well. You're right.
So seeing Minibu again, we've talked about the confidence in finding his feet within this roster.
This for me is such a good example to have where he's feeling comfortable to take the initiative,
make decisions on his own and make huge impactful plays like that.
Yeah, positive for a liquid side of things.
GX and the other camp lost this first map, so we also have a bit of a coach confession coming through from Ipsen.
Let's hear what he has to say.
Another tough start for you on map one.
What's the key to resetting mentally going into battle?
I mean it's actually really really rough but it's all about like that the first map
doesn't matter that much in best of three in the end the winner is the team
who won the last map and not the first one and even from previous year we are
really really used to losing the first map so there is nothing about like
being reset mentally it's it's not the issue and it's more about quality of
the game rather than resetting mentally, so that's it.
All right, thank you so much for that insight.
Interesting for me to hear that map one
doesn't really matter that much.
I was gonna say, no surprise to hear,
if you were to have any other coach saying that,
you'd probably be like, oh wow, but it being Pipson,
this is not unfamiliar territory.
So I sort of kind of agree with him,
but again, it just, it never feels good to be
elimination and be like map one doesn't matter we don't care about the rest of the
week though. Well it's kind of come down to pearl at this point because this is
I mean this is the buffer now you give yourself a pearl. You've got no buffer no more okay
pearl is it and I want to talk about pearl here because what are we looking forward to
from GX aside of things because I feel like liquid is a conversation we're
going to have but from GX really we're going into pearl you got to win it
pressure is on composition wise. Yeah I think composition wise it's a question of
Do they stick with the double initiator that they ran last time?
Or do they lean over to something else?
It looks as though they are going to stick with that double initiator.
So then at that point, my concern goes over to Fliklis,
who has not had a hot start in this series so far.
He didn't really have a great time on Breeze,
and we need to see the value coming up from this,
because he's someone that we have been praising on Giant Axe's side at the start of today.
Yeah, it's not necessarily kind of black and white, but for me,
this is one of the examples I was talking about the other day,
where I want to see West Side really as a more change for more.
I think you look absolutely fantastic on those eyes.
But it suits him down to a T in terms of his play style,
doesn't wear his good at, like our headshot key in the region.
So this is again, no surprise to see this come.
But I think this is one of those opportunities
to talk about GX, Matt Paul in general,
and maybe a shift away from some of these archaic,
you know, sort of traditional compositions we have in EMEA.
This is certainly one of the ones where you go
off against the double-fuelers with the guys.
Yeah, I think as well to touch on the team liquid sides.
Starting on the attack for this composition I had mentioned feels a little bit strange
because I think one of their biggest concerns is going to be taking that B long space with
this composition, especially if Aura is going to lean into that operator which we've seen him do
for recently in the past few matches. How do they clear that out? How do they realistically
get him off of that angle? But in saying that, if they are able to get the plant down, I feel
like this is a super strong composition for Team Liquid in terms of post-planting,
we consider the utility that they have available to them.
Yeah, definitely plenty of tools to spew around.
Again, for me, Camo comes into discussion again.
He's showing versatility now.
Another role that I think he really excels at.
We've seen a couple of isolated instances of having slower performances,
maybe less numbers, but still, here for me, Camo is probably the focal point.
Yeah, the focal point here also just has to be about 4GX.
If they want to continue in this lower bracket, they need to win.
This is a lot of pressure for their side of things.
the game. We'll find out whether
or not that's possible as we're
headed to our second map of the
series in liquid against Jx with
our cast as high like I wrote.
Yeah, that's exactly what we're
here to find out. If Jx can turn
things around on their own map
pick as they have been required
to do so in the last couple
of years, we'll find out whether
or not that's possible as we're
headed to our second map of the
series in liquid against Jx
with our cast as high like I
wrote. Yeah, that's exactly
So in the last couple of series the loss to vitality just by a narrow two rounds in the end
And you can see from the faces of the players
They're on perturbed by the situation the possibility of elimination here as the only team in VCT this year
They kept their line up the same as the last yeah, Jane X still haven't registered a win on any of the maps and this veto so far
I am just to Kevin knock on that door once again to remain people
to claim if you want to go up against Team Liquid and at least push it to a third map.
Liquid in decent form now after that first map at least feeling confident and you can see there
Perpo starting to hit heads as well back on a jeweless now and the first player forward here
on this Liquid attack side. I think for Liquid there's obviously they played this
yesterday so they've already got the reps in the practice in terms of playing this
That's always that attack that looked better, leading into what was said about the post,
but if they can get onto site first, well that is the question that you ask.
Papo does have his entry, another headshot on his west side on the receiving end.
Spake 2, go, don't fill it, open, but may spam from Grubby.
At least deny that, Spake Plane.
Bolly in there as well for good measure, and now are cleaning things up on the backline.
GX now with a bunker in back sight and lifting force to try and dig something out here.
Camel will give his life for the cause.
While Pappo has another, it's not without damage and lack of spike.
Yeah, you know Pappo can take heads when needed.
And the same is that he's going to use the full length of the clock to his advantage.
So a reposition is where he's going to go.
GX up, don't want to allow him to do so.
No.
So they're going to go for that reposition.
the last roster, which he
represented in VCT was of course
GX and I think after how that
started, you're wondering if we
would see him in tier one again,
but here he is. Time is running
low like you say. I think purpose
left this far too late to make
any real 10 seconds possible
swing it. He'll walk into the
double stack here at the very
are gonna win that in the end. You hype a guy out of pride, but just didn't give himself the time of day there.
No, he did not. A little bit rushed in the end, but this isn't anything that we haven't seen before.
As if you think towards the last map it was Giant X to win out the pistol round,
it probably would have been a lot more comfortable had there not been anti-ecoed and allowed the economy to work against them.
So that's where we've got to see the first improvement from map 1.
And it comes down to the fundamentals when you're up against these Ecos, right?
If there's tradeability in the play, power-bringing the martial out into A main, this looks to
be a priority for GX.
Liquid with other ideas.
The thing about this Grimstone is so frustrating to play against, it's just how long was
Smokes actually last?
How much of a question mark you can create, how much you can actually space you can
take away from your opponent. So it looks like Team Liquid are very happy to just hit
in. And that's exactly the case is Grubby and Westside hold down the site and we're
going to make no mistakes. None of them made own breeze. It's all five alive for the moment
being as they tried to get rid of the last level clear, which is nice. Brilliant job
there. From GX doing exactly what was asked of them, an in-zone flawless and the
potential to make this bonus a little bit spicier, because we spoke about how much momentum Liquid
were able to build up on Breeze, but we didn't see a single GX timeout to try and actually
slow that down, disrupt it. If they can maybe now get on the other side of this snowball
and actually build up some confidence for themselves where Liquid were on the receiving
and also yesterday then we'll just have to see seems to look at this moment in time like
a B split but the spike not committed anywhere and that's looking to lock he had a pretty
pro peril overall on the killjoy an agent we're not used to seeing them play often
It's becoming more and more common though, and Liquid doubling down on Miss B attempts
into the Killjoy setup on the other side, a lot of what goes off but only finds the
clone.
Marpo diving in, finding nothing, the West side holding the line and most importantly
buying time for a play to come in.
Deep flash, Fleeckless.
You thought he was going to jump up, but things better of it.
Clue there to support, but Nats at the same time has activated
find in space deep in towards the setup of the defence.
But while that's going on, look at Arra.
Yeah, Arra is just running through spawn to collapse on this one.
With the killjoy player gone, west side dead, Nats has an opportunity to
force the issue himself. It's one flank and the other, but the question is
who's going to win out in a GX flashing in to make this fight happen?
There is Ara striking twice and with Nats position revealed now a crossfire can go up for GX
The use of the fast lane actually allows Nats to reposition a little bit here and
Cloud is looking elsewhere in the back calls
Half a chance if anything for Nats to do something but with the spike yet to be recovered
GX getting this one over the line a big bonus round win
Yeah, I guess a shake of the hands here in the end. That's looking to try and save his rifle out
Looks if he's almost ready to do so and that's exactly what I think he's
There's not gx to go three to the good though
And of course, I still have money to rebuy here great position from NASA the FN
It's actually catch her before he can go out wide on the peak
I'm surprised that Westside took a second opportunity of that, honestly, we still had a flash available to him, but still found value from it when Arak was flanking himself.
It ends up being just the Phantom here for Liquid.
liquid. This Natsur holds on to it as well. Not given to any of the Jullists in Arak,
Stuck weapon once again. Well, connect. There's a players of team Liquid trying to chase down
the Jullist but Cloud is there to make sure the escape is good. Giant X with Nix to
no issues here is Wayne now the one to pick up the Phantom.
straight by Kent. As you say Defect, we are seeing such a pathetic start. Great start
from Giant X, a great way to respond and maybe get anything over the pleals heads.
You can see why they've picked Pairle here, Giant X. It feels like this is probably the
last gun round that Liquid will go for before they call a timeout of their own, you would
imagine. Tariq for some early information, rotation from both initiators towards the B site and
the knife just confirming that presence on long.
They'll still want to skill here. A little pro activity at all to try and get Jnx on
towards the back lanes is Tim Liquid probably going to be allowed to have that safe for
free. That's exactly the case. We're safe. We're aware of what Purple wants to do
in terms of taking heaven space from flakless even able to help out so giant x even though
you're trying to set ara up on the flank still go two to the good they have numbers here they
could have to try and interrupt this and that's what we're trying to do but still giant x are
able to stop that so with the two remaining players one of which very low you still favour
the defense because ara on the march and team liquid looking to try and defend their position
They can do so.
So it is going to be giant X once again to win a round.
Team Liquid still with their response.
Yeah, no safety on that B site whatsoever.
GX is a team which we know for their structured set retakes.
But actually the early success from Westside,
finding Papo here, and the recon that as well
to do some damage on Camo meant that it was already
so far abridged they actually didn't need to
to invest anything extra.
Guys, you're nice to me, you're having pretty good...
Rekill indeed.
And much as we expected, it is a timeout from Team Liquid
in response to that.
It really has to be.
Because so far, Team Liquid just haven't showed us a whole bunch.
I mean, it seems like a very simple game that GiantX want to play.
And again, it just comes down to how well they can play off one another.
Yeah.
They've got the ultimates to do so now as well. I'm looking at lockdowns up on both sides of the server, and that has his, but you have to be thinking of the natural counter in Cloud's Hunter's Fury, so mind games for what Liquid wants to try and do.
As much as we're talking about setting up a post plan, it's actually just getting onto the sites in the first place, which has been a pretty troublesome thing for them.
Yeah, it really has. I mean, again, you could see towards the A, the B side of the map, they're looking to place that smoke to try and pop out of, but it's also allowing Giant X to set up their own defence in terms of creating crossfires and overall, I feel as if Team Liquid just are not necessarily understanding the setup that Giant X are trying to go for.
for. The timeout concluded, it looks like Liquid wants to offer something a little bit different
here, a more pacey take. Puppo with the bandit, but the rest set up for Stingers, and it looks
like all five players going through Link towards the B site. This will dodge the Killjoy setup
for the most part. Yeah, but look at the reposition from Jai and X, the giant in min
space away from Team Liquid. I love this. A great Hunter's Fury as well as Grobby goes
hang to get three of his own. Where's he gone? Oh, Team Liquid, you tried your best,
but you will not succeed. Six now for Giant X. This Popo has to try and clutch up against
four with just a stinger and a bandit. It's not going to be enough. GX just packing
that pocket with. Look at
Cloud is there to pick up the
pieces if required, but Papa was
just going to. Let the clock
run down in one of his audacious.
Sort of a clutch attempts that
we've seen a few times now.
There is no good way about
this hour is the one who wants
the kill because he's one of
the overdrive. It's
going to snatch that away,
though. I mean, if Jane
If JNX really want to go and pick up an ultimate orb and bring an ult online, sure you can go for it, but at this point in time, I don't know if JNX need it.
For the most part, the game plan has been superb.
I gotta say too, at least Liquid will be happy that the Hunters Fury was used there because I just spoke before in the freeze time about the potential counter off the lockdown.
You expect those to get exchanged.
But once more, it's that initial scaling that's been the biggest issue more than anything else.
I mean, they go into the seat, they just absolutely collapsed upon as soon as they hit it.
I mean, you arrive at the graveyard, but you just go in the ground, right?
Yeah.
Needs to an end.
Team Liquid once again, trying to fly away at mid.
Trying to make it so happy to just be like, hey guys, if you want mid, you can have it.
We don't really care.
The turret has notified the defenders of this position, so they just hold on to any exits from this position.
Look at Cloud, look at Arra, look at Grubby.
All of them. Oh, I don't like this.
It's deep positioning, it's Arra, the furthest player forwards, but I mean what is there not to like this?
Spike's been dropped, but I do agree. It was more the position and the trade-out now, isn't it?
Yeah, exactly.
Liquid actually, given a little bit of breathing room on the site here.
It's exactly the possession and with that, the many will clean up everything, but GiantX are in possession now and ready to face.
They're just dropping the nade in there for a little bit of security.
Opportunity to buy some more time and still playing from the pit, he is a problem.
This spike not going down and Westside first to bite when it comes to investing the lockdown.
Brilliant Molly from Wayne.
I'm sure if it's going to be enough to break the alt here.
And it is just about because so on versus one,
Nicholas out from backside, will not miss seven from seven.
Advantage taken.
But how much of an advantage does GX take into the next half?
That's the question.
Team Liquid used an ultimate in the last one.
But it's what we have remaining.
The nightfall, the lockdown, the oboe stride.
If we do not see Team Liquid win around in the next
like two or three I'm gonna get increasingly worried
I'm once again feeling that frustration like he did yesterday
and why wouldn't you that gets to a point here when he's probably even
thinking about a second timeout because unless he's hearing the right things
right now from that some the others which kind of expecting to be I guess
You can see the right things, it's about doing them in the server.
And we've spoken about this at length, what the team structure looks like, Nat's not really
letting up on what that really entails in terms of the comms in this team.
He's the first one to go looking here for West Side and the follow up is equal parts
lackluster.
Eventually he will drop, but the Wraith will probably be a bigger prize for Team Liquid
at the moment.
to be a part of this round.
For GX, his position in the
club is going to be stopping.
Well, I was going to say too
much being done by liquid on
the extremity, but GX don't
really have an idea of where
this push is coming in only
now does he start to realize
only now does he start to realize, but it's a little foundation that they can use coming back into this retake.
There's so much for Team Liquid to try and clear out now,
in terms of that long space, in terms of back holes,
and it's going to allow Giant X-Tain to get into possession.
With the site fully free, you almost have to expect an advanced player position,
and there it is!
Aralang loose, first shot lands on the off,
follow up with the ultimate,
and Purple back to the corner,
can do nothing to stand his ground.
8 from 8 from Giant X. It wasn't a full investment from Liquid, nothing close to it. The alt's still
available and still no round.
Yeah, I mean, nice idea I guess, but like it's the extremity control that really punishes
Team Liquid's med attempts and for the past few rounds I see all they've been doing
really trying to continuously clear meds, see if there's any weakness there, but once
again a liquid or showing out the door and this is the room though that we
should see team like we're trying to get something with all the ultimates
whether by and it looks as if it might be an e-split it would appear that way
but when you consider the GX setup it's tailored almost perfectly to counter
that camo can't curve the prowler to clear the a corner so it's a split for
The stronger part of the push towards Harp, the sound could be said for GX's hold.
The first four of those ultimates to be used, a bro in flash!
Can't wait for the second play on there, his wing doubles up himself, so Team Liquid with the advantage.
Grumpy with an important fight, which he will win. Huge one versus one, this main control extremity again for GX.
It's all about Harrod and the back lanes though as Team Liquid look to try and play in front.
Where has the Neon gone?
Here he is! Right back!
He's got the spike on the ground!
And once again having to rely on a clutch.
It's nice. The captain to do it.
Of course he's gonna give a good goal, but in the end the result is the same as the past 8 rounds.
A GX win.
Liquid banging their head against the wall now, but...
To just flip this on a more positive note, so much credit given to GX.
Not only have they risen to the occasion of this second map,
they have delivered nine consecutive rounds without a single retort.
Ara's AWP is hitting the shots that it needs to...
No, I'm trying to take the shot, I'm trying to take the shot.
Oh, you really want to start off?
And the last game we've been seeing the Valhudal.
Yeah, we have.
12 and 3 right now, I mean...
It's just not even that though.
It's the stuff that you can't quantify, the map control, the confidence that he's been having on this Neon.
And this is the GX that I remember, the ones that are making the right reactions, that understand, you know, the premise of this map,
whereas Liquid, it's almost baked into their history, one that they tend to avoid and kind of start to see why here.
Well this is Double Digits on the cards for Giant X whose team would look to try and deny
it through a lockdown to buy space but the spike heads elsewhere and GX already have
the main control here on B. A second alt to try and fake out the site. Looks like they're
going to get over to A but so costly. What? Yeah I mean the fact that you've lost
Nats and there's still players here for Giant X to identify. Grubby unlucky not to get
Yeah, it's all up to close to give the value and nice clear through the back giant extra
to get that double feature. 10 rounds and a row looking to get a team liquid the gift
that vitality gave them. And only a few rounds away. I mean, they say every cloud has a
I mean they say every cloud has a silver lining but that was the ultimates for
liquids and now it's gone it's just glaze guys wherever you look I just don't
see how this half gets any better it almost feels like inside the opening
12 rounds of the last two maps it's almost been decided there and then
sure we've seen GX crumble from this position before already in kickoff the
mate's game where they lost 11 in a row in the second half, but that was unbind and well, that's still yet to come.
Yeah, looks as if it is going to be on the cards.
An emphatic start.
Scout weeping against, scout weeping and outlawed.
Against RR.
He's already on the lane and yeah, did he go?
So Liquid losing the A control. Embedded in middle again but this is a concession which
GX have been happy to make round on round.
Arra set up for main Fliklas tying this together. A slight gap here potentially if he overplays
his hand but Fliklas is diligent and drops back onto the tatus of angles and even forced
but it's still Arer who holds on to mean there will be the problem for team like with the mother they consider that
That is the big question is looking like a good flash but nobody to capitalize off the back of it
What a crazy position outpits with a problem so many times cloud gets his two and keeps GX in front
Hmm all the players disconnected here for giant X
Group is spawned more than anything else, which is the hard one here
He just has to keep this space as long as possible stop any proactivity from the attack side
So the rest of the team can get in play wish they'd has a full bill of utility to get back in as well
Ultimate pull are gonna be the decision here
I'm still looking for this one group. He had the jump but can't correct in time
Cosmic divide there are on the other side of the wall. This might finally be it the team that
Got 13 ohs a couple days ago
to go and say goodbye to the possibility of a perfect match or can they? Westside, is
there any more to save him here? No, there isn't. Liquid led off the hook. There will
be at least one round for them in this half. I thought for a moment they team Liquid would
not consider the main position, but it's actually the close one to make the works
against Giant X, not realising the spot in which the attack had planted. And much
bit of treatability from the attack. It just feels like getting into some of the sights
here, purple, missing a couple of his saturates as well. You could see the idea, like the focus
was to really clear out that backside position before.
you
you
you
you
you
about in there by the skin of
its teeth and liquid will be
moving to the defender's side.
I just have to see how much
better it can possibly get
because the bar is incredibly
light.
That's it as, and this is
definitely one of the stat lanes for
all team members was school lane
was against alliance and name that
a lot of player or a lot of
fans may not recognize as a
haven't seen that name in years
I thought you were dead!
Man, that's it's Polaris.
And even that is like a name that doesn't exist anymore.
That's crazy.
Bunk status.
Official.
Oh my god.
But here we go.
It's a slow, slow pistol from GX.
Just starving liquid of any fights.
But it's about to go down in middles.
Purple tries to flash in.
there with him. It gets no better. GX on the wall path now, waiting spied by the turret.
The wall comes in a little late, does get too far, but keeps GX honest. Cloud with enough
to put them back in front, and so it has to be Nats all over again. Who else would you
want in this position? Neal, you have chance on to Cloud, but can't wait. Getting killed,
he's looking for it. Waiting for the turret to come back up, but wants to fight first.
It clearly can't catch Cloud though and maybe today is the day that in this head-to-head between the IGLs
Cloud can get the better of his long feared opponent. It's not since that same
2021 statistic that he last beat Nat.
It's been a long time, but I mean in terms of the series it is only just a map.
still want one more to go but we're not quite there just yeah it feels like we could beat
the road reports and pans flung into this bi-team liquid aspector a stinger and a marshal
how do you even try and work this by to your favor
it's all that liquid can afford at this point in time
time. And the Marshal is more than enough. It's a really nice shot from Miniboot to
start. It keeps all 5 alive for the moment being 10 HP left on Miniboot. But you still
want more. You can see him looking to try and get an angle. For Giant X, where did
he want to go? Is that his moment in time? But reconsidering their options. Yeah,
This side is a potential in here towards A.
A purple has almost fully given it up for fear of mid.
Liquid having to lean on this B-stack more than anything else
because of the gun disadvantage right now.
Ooh.
That's just messing it up.
Oh, he hasn't checked.
It's a lazy clear to grab against his chance.
Yeah, just for a moment there,
look like that's maybe could have got ahead of Cloudy.
He still does end up doing so.
Quick run for one.
Time wearing thin, but Westside finding the entry kill on A,
and that should be enough to bring GX to post.
Yeah, well, it's a sprint from either team
to see who can get there.
Fast, that's spake, and trepidation right now.
Grubby's so slow to clear back through R.
He is checking, double checking every single angle.
And if Wayne can get here in time,
there was half a chance to deny
if not for the closed plant.
Manybu is still not stopping with his short side up.
And Wayne has now fully arrived in total on the ace side, ready to run down GX.
Get his first groupie!
What up was that?
A couple through the smoke, but not enough to send Liquid packing to a third map just yet.
Yeah, Manybu was just on 10 HP, so I wonder if it was enough.
But it was about the control of the spree onto Camel.
They could have decided this map right here in the note.
You'll get asked man mate.
Sensational shots from MiniBoot and that's really what put us running into the FWD.
Roundwind does offer some relief for Liquid.
GX I'm not going to have money to instantly respond with a better buy so just one round
at a time more than anything else.
the process for these teams. For both of these teams, honestly, at this stage in the year is
something that we keep on going on about like a broken record, but it's so hard to see either side
in their final form as it stands, especially when we know them to be grand finalists from last year.
I don't know, with a nice entry, Clio's all the way towards us, and I think he's going to
look to go elsewhere here, but Team Liquid looking to play on the edge of their own smokes,
Moving into post-part here. Oh GX, do you get denied the first chance?
Come over with the spam and the rest of Liquid here now as well.
Yeah, well this is definitely a brilliant from Team Liquid.
The fact that they're able to use GX's smokes against them, looking to spam through...
Leaf's just out of it, shortly, and not a hope in hell.
No, and it's just more of the same macro, really, that we saw GX find so much success from in the first half.
getting bodies into back sight early, having a player in pit and look at the attack,
aren't able to clear them out, then it's just such a problem.
Pain point.
30 seconds left.
Arrow should go down here eventually, Pyrpov finishes him off, so another round for Liquid.
Nine more to go if they're to close this gap.
Reminds me of the first map, honestly.
Yeah.
Yeah, I mean the fact that we're starting to connect these rooms together,
Momentum at the backs
Let's see what happens in the next one two outlaws being brought out
I don't know man, maybe how many rounds do you reckon it's gonna take before that the fans actually buy into that one?
Probably not a whole bunch because I think GX will probably want it here in there. Okay. All right
And if they don't... I'm not even gonna see anything. Let's just look at the game. Sure.
We can do exactly that. It's a job after all.
West side here is so low in mid actually. Yeah, let's get caught by Mini-Boost.
So, another strong start for Liquid, another opening kill.
I think that's the key thing about Team Liquid so far, is they've been very good at isolating these fates and finding opportunities.
As the stole looks decent enough as it was, trying to get out, but they walk straight and into a crossfire!
Like a net on biting liquid!
Oh, Grubby though, does your nuts retreating?
Realises this very quickly, that's the only player here. No safety.
Oh no, let's Grubby wrap though.
A chance to play with.
You want to fight it!
You can see the utility put in by the keychain.
Forced to retreat.
Yeah, could we be trying to use the wall there maybe to fake that he was planting or something, but players on both sides of the wall and the turret spots him.
So no.
Force back to the safe.
Popple is the next engagement for Grobby to try and team one, which he does not anticipate.
Up high as Popple.
And team will equate up to four.
Eight rounds.
Well, that was over your suit.
Yeah, one at a time.
I thought you would see much so many you think we're going to get.
Oh well, I mean, you would be surprised.
You really would.
But, I mean, the big thing for that last round for Team Liquid was the fact that they actually
broke the buy of the attack.
And actually, it is just going to proc a timeout from GX.
I don't hate this.
I'm a bore with this, obviously, because I think, look, it gets to a certain point
where Liquid do actually start feeling that momentum.
I don't think we've quite reached it just yet.
the next round will be one of
them, but. No better time. I
think them for Pipson to
introduce himself with a pause.
Of course, they get to talk at
halftime anyway, but, um, I
imagine the conversation he had
here on Pearl very different to
that on breeze. Yeah, and I
think as well is like the
whole conversation right when
you're on that attack and
you're trying to call into
this is just like it feels
like the impossible task
you're trying to achieve. And
again, we had the conversation
about Jane Clemens, but
Hey, gentlemen, it's in 2025 and the fact that they were in these positions, but it all comes down to how many
Ultimates you can stockpile and if you look at this round right giant X if the send at least clothing waste say to the death
We're guaranteed three and an extra
even by last year standards for the main side that you're talking about 12 one is
Yeah, it's even further right and I think it is why that you bring it up because
GX had struggled to close in the past. It was that same opponent, Gentlemates, on
bind where they lost 10 rounds in a row. 11, sorry. So it has been something that
they want to try and work on, but how long the sides been together since
the end of stage one last year. You expect it of them. Split push onto A
this time. Yet to breach that choke point, and Wayne holds it down early. Yet to breach
the site, yet to even make Liquid swear realistically, sure utility expended. Overall, Team Liquid
still have 5 standing with barely any damage taken. In fact, if not any, as it continues
to knock everyone down, Gribigno always put to his grave as well.
So with that, we look at 12-5 being the school way.
And Giant X, that comes straight back in,
three ultimates a piece on either side.
Yeah, liquid looking rigid, but this is the round
that was queued up in the timeout by Pips and you'd imagine
how strict his methods are at times with set pieces
and sticking to what works.
You fully expect GX to have something here,
something from the Stratbook to just get them
the one round, the single round that they need right now.
Full of win reaction camps.
It seems like such a vape guy, you know?
Seems like even at 12 to five,
don't is enjoying himself.
You have to be, right?
Yeah.
You understand that this liquid team
more often than not is on borrowed time on par
right now, so.
Time to jump.
Give yourself a boost
if you think that third map is coming up and maybe
come back and might just become a reality here really basically tamed.
Ultimate coming through.
T-Rick betrayed to pull off the backcourt there.
A speed that doesn't work out.
But certainly wins ultimate dice.
So a two versus three is where Liquid feigned themselves.
It's an awesome combo there as well, Camo.
Just noting through Mini-Boost alt that there were players in close proximity.
Drops the Cs, Wayne pops the alt.
And that's the numbers right now for liquid that set up still propping up that left-hand side the B site
It's a two on two on a though for what could very well settle this map
Feels like a con coin flip to V2
You could go either way as we
Set up my camel is it how to try to play into the smoke you shouldn't have done that me
That was you trying to lean in the sand
And unfortunately for Grubby all he's gonna get away with is an ultimate orb
Yeah, GX
The one benefit to this round for them is the fact that they didn't go spending ultimates liquid
Yeah, yeah every single one that they had available to them
And that's the big one to come away with exactly
Because Ara gets one step closer to his Grubby now two away ensure the next round you're gonna be in an equal
But it's the second round in front right the fact that we're going to be on a full rifle round as giant X with possibly and should be
Five alts available. That's just what we've got to keep tabs on right now more than anything else
This was the combo that we saw
coordinated peace
From the defense but
Cloud, not liking what he sees, but I think the big aspect to this as well is if we do
start to see like we'd really come back into this, a conversation about Giant X and the
Anteco so far in this series.
We can keep tabs on it.
First time in a long while though that we're actually going to see GX look for a B engagement.
Now Nats has an operator here, he did as of the last round but the impact, oh it's
right there for you.
drops. GX certainly paced the on the play out of one off the old. The one with the
rifle as it stands it's gonna be a kill from him in the end and actually a two
versus two situation. The ulter up for both this time. Yeah and both have
rifles as well so they're locked down to buy a little breathing room for the
attack. Get a spake though but look at many boot. A safe plant is the one
which GX opt for here just to get that timer going. 45 seconds between
them and a potential map win and Ara is hungry for it right here, right now. Camo empty belt,
first angle, already tripped, Alambo there with the info, Ara sliding in, lovely to be in that
Camo nose. Now there's a chance! A chance which is stripped away by the Westside. GX get over the
line in the end, no doubt problems though and that sets up an interesting final map.
Yeah, it certainly does. We are gonna go towards Spain, want a piece for either team.
We'll find out exactly who comes out on top on that tough map.
Ara, I'm not gonna lie, but from you I would like to hear
motivational speech because we are playing versus Nats.
This guy, this thing, this could be our last game, it's like this for the next two months.
So let's have fun and let's give everything.
So like, we have no regrets, yeah?
That's what's motivated.
you
you
you
you
you
You
Welcome back, everyone, to VCT E&E kickoff.
GX throwing a bit of a spanner in the work.
They managed to push this all the way to the decider.
Binds coming up next.
But first things first, that was such a dominant win from GX.
Yeah, because first map doesn't matter.
Oh, yeah, true. I completely forgot about that one.
Old part of the plan. It's old part of the plan.
Whatever. Pipson's greatest plan is.
I mean, 13-6.
There's just further highlights of the dominance coming out from GX
because especially on that first half, they were unstoppable.
It was an 11-1 half coming out from their side of things.
Yeah, I mean, I think we already kind of teed it up in the sense that Team Liquid
were always going to struggle starting on the attack side on Pyrrhus,
especially with the composition that we were running.
I think we're kind of expecting Miniboo and Purple to be able to just go ham
on those double Jules because you had teed it up,
that they should be able to overwhelm West Side
because they can just dive into the site and not be affected by West Side.
Yeah, I don't know if it would fully be a lack of commitment on-site, this composition in general,
but I'd say Camo for me was kind of the focal point. It wasn't enough in terms of like pushing,
probing, forcing decisions on the side of Giant X that I saw from Liquid to really put themselves in
advantageous positions.
But it's also really nice to see GX aside of things, how they approach this map specifically
when it comes to some of the set plays that we were continuously seeing from them.
Yeah, so I was like writing down my little notes when I was looking at their defense,
I was like, why isn't this dominant? Why is it so strong?
And I think Kale was a really big part in Ginex's defence.
The conditioning that they were able to do with the knife on AMM was really nice.
At the very start of this round, they did it in round 6 and 7,
you see Cloud lift the operator off of R,
so that R is ready to take on any sort of aggression initially in the AMM fight with the rifle.
But because nothing is picked up off of the knife,
it means that they can pop R up with the operator.
And Groovy and Cloud are able to rotate over towards the B site
and be able to help assist Westside for any of that double dive action that's going on.
So I think Giant X were using the KO knife in a really sensible and smart way here,
not only for conditioning but also being able to help these rotations come through so that they
could be stacked towards the sites where they knew that these kind of overwhelming pushes were
coming in from Sea Liquid. For me then it brings a conversation back to a topic that we've
had quite a lot of times, to liquid where it comes to the eye-gailing side of Nats.
because we're seeing GX continuously doing this.
And if like 7-0, that's what they started out with.
Why wasn't there any adaptation calls?
This is a weird one for me as well,
because this is GX kind of going back to basics
in terms of their approach to the game.
We're having these constant discussions
around the identity this year.
This for me is like the most vanilla GX comp
and the way that they like to play the game, right?
Militant is thrilled.
It's almost like choreographed.
You're talking about some of the set pieces
in terms of putting rotations in place.
Yeah, that should be an IGL that's able to counter that quite well
Although if this is maybe a prep angle or something just in terms of execution in the game
They were really struggling with but this one almost teed up to be a much closer affair than it was
But also something that suits team liquids approach to certain maps. Yeah
I mean going back to it being a much closer affair
We can also kind of give props to individual players Wayne specifically on liquid has been a player
I've been very consistent and that has been able to keep some of these rounds alive as well
Yeah 100% I think that something that we had discussed with playing was you know seeing this team liquid side move away from the ashram back over towards the
Omen but seeing him on the brimstone. I think he performed great on that
And I think as well something that we were kind of missing in EMA last year
I think is fair to say is these primary controllers like people that just thrive on the smokes roll and are happy and
Comfortable to be playing on that and I think when coming into BCT EMA has been great on it so far
This is probably the side of the equation when you talk about replacing Kiko right in some of these
I almost say more quirky comps
But certainly the anomalies in terms of putting grim stones in here and there
This is actually where the focus shifts heavier on Wayne because you fill in the side of Kiko's
Roll within this team previously where it's like he actually really except he over delivered when he was flexing onto smokes
Whilst also kind of maintaining that yours big shoes to fill
I'm massive
Yes, but bind is our final map of today. It isn't a sign up for both of these teams
And so when it comes to GX side of things, I mean, we've talked a lot about GX and how
they are comfortable with certain compositions and it seems like they're just going to continue
running that because we're seeing the rays from the dualist and I see you sighing because
let me guess, Sage.
Who's sighing?
You're sighing.
I'm just looking at, again, this kind of speaks back to kind of the roots of Giant
X, right, playing that sort of Valorant.
I'm not massively sold it for me. It's very results driven
But sure if this is where they're identifying that their comfort lies
West side being the one to pick up this again. You kind of put a mind thing and make I think the worrying thing for giant X's
I believe it's with the defense when they played this against gentle mates when they started to lose that comeback
So as long as they've ironed those issues out for me. I think I'm okay with it
I want to zone in on team liquid composition though because of course
We've not seen team liquid play bind throughout kickoff just yet
I think picking up the gecko and the sky again leaning into that kind of double-initiator
Identity that they've kind of been leaning with but I wasn't sure
Yeah
Gathering and like probes and whatnot. This should be a big switch up for their approach to binary. Yeah
I think what we really have to highlight here
However is the importance of this final map because this is it for both of these scenes
one map, one life is what you get to be able to continue your run here in kickoff.
You lose, you're done. We're not seeing you until stage one.
You win, you continue that little bracket run up against Heretic that is already waiting for you.
Is it gonna be Liquid? Is it gonna be GX?
We're gonna find out as we're ready to head into a final map of the series,
bind with our casters, Hazan Kyro.
Can't wait to get into this one and see which version of either of these teams we are going to get.
going to get. We know they've both got it in the locker, but we've only seen it in spells.
For GX, it was the most recent map of Pal. For Liquid, that sits in the back of your
mind on Breeze. Can they replicate it here when it matters on Bind?
Yeah. Unknown territory for this evolution of Team Liquid. What are they going to show
us? It's unknown territory for most of the players, but not from that. This is his
This is where we're expecting him to really bring it.
GX on the other hand, as you say, this is one of the maps that they have failed to win so far.
They've played it twice against both Mates, Pacific, the first game a margin of three rounds,
the next two in an overtime.
Do they have what it takes now to have made the improvements that can finally close it out
and get past this liquid side?
standing as three on the defense on this A site GX closing in from showers and
shot yeah four players strong as you look to boston and well team like with
most of the forces dedicated to on short and Jynix completely wrote them out
so with that that's maybe a formality already one sided affair never
happen once so far in this series I mean these two players remain in
Wain and Popple have shown their goods before.
That's true.
It's a tough ask though considering the post-plan utility that Jynx have already put forward.
Yeah, that's a wall mate, so.
We've got smokes, a flash, Molly's something to clear and Wayne does get the first of those fights.
Yeah, this classic looks good so far.
These pervs, we go away from screen.
He is going to get caught off, so with the amount of time left, Jynx will clean up.
4k from Grubinio to kick off this pistol round and put GX in the driver's seat, at least to begin the attack half, which is the place that they want to be.
This attack for them, for the most part, has seen little issues.
It's the preferred choice for most teams on this map, whereas it's the defence that they've had troubles, and that's where they really needed to remedy them over the last couple.
seems if we're going to get the uh a version of the old fpx by three rifles two pistols
as there's only one plier dedicated towards the sade 14 liquid is a tp taken by wane this is
really nice from wane he's going to pick up both orbs he already had three alt points from the
previous so halfway to a brimhole in the second rounds but like not bad going at the same time
JNX right now are slowly exploring that B-save which is completely open to them.
Sure, like you take what you can get, right? The other points are there, and it's a big early
win for Liquid, and actually the longer GX do take on this, there's a chance for them to get in
behind. Well, Flickless will be the Canary in the core mains, the ones who identify the presence
of Team Liquid's forces, and well that will be the core bottom for JNX to take the B-save,
spake going down. Wayne looking to maybe hold onto this base as much as possible,
floating spike there from cloud but eventually goes in the ground. GX anticipating this flank,
they're looking out for it at the very least and Gruby can just stop this rush with his molly
quite handily. Yeah, there's a little bit more time here in the first place. Anyway,
that's a bad flash! Include able to at least get rid of that and risk your rainfall. Still
a little bit worried here as he tries to escape. There is Wain walking on the wall. I don't know
about this because it's just walked right into a right click. Team Liquid still making a nuisance
of themselves and making that expensive. Only one rightful saved by Arra. But, yeah, what
cost did he win? I mean, look, say what you like about this round for GX, but Liquid have
come away with almost as much as they possibly could without winning it. He spoke about the
all of us at the start around but then it's almost every weapon gone so gx forced to dig into their
pockets to make this bonus look possible that's nearly a third time that we've seen gx losing
eco on the second round expensive but it's okay and as you hear that it's expensive yeah so i'm
wondering is the question giant x are bad and ecos or team liquid good at ecos and being an issue
yeah i mean i have to come back to that one maybe there's a stat cooked up that could
help decipher it but um someone called Captain Cove yeah it's like a cow-shaped bat signal in the
sky we need him to deliver the goods but jokes aside keeping tabs on some of these alts that
are coming up Wayne is currently sitting two away as is west side from a potential sage res
I mean look at the cons on both sides some niche choices the get-killing players are
Well, they're just to try and give a little bit of security in these post-bond retake
situations but with Westside going in first.
He gives his life up for the cause and for information.
Stephen Gray says that all the restate was just a pistol plier.
The rest are well stopped.
angle from Nats to just hold here. Keeps his mouse button held down and empties his mag
into GX. Only Aura remaining and with the vandal in hand might just be looking to keep
this for the next one. Liquid very low on money all across the board though so can't
afford too many casualties. Aura's found a couple. Could fame more. Tamer's getting
realistically so there is much damage he can do 10 nests room at that point I
mean one ball would have been oh yeah but you got a ganshu in there and this
boat which is being rocked on either side of the server in terms of early
finance everything really we're heading into a swing round now round number
four really to see who can take control of find early on yeah what we'd
already feeling the effects of R doing that because oh for a minute he was
I dance with the idea of a judge, but
What's been the case? I think when you look at the last couple rounds as well liquid have been way more active in terms of testing the limits of the map and
Actually getting value from it
Whereas gx are quite slow in their scaling you see here mini boo using the refracts to just completely go
Outside of bath and he's already in behind flick was here as well should win the fight
doesn't. I mean that's the thing about pushing these extremities is if when you get towards these
fights it can be very 50-50 and if you lose out that puts everything into trepidation in terms of
how thinly split you are across the map in terms of openings that giant X can use against you.
There's one player identified at least by the dizzy both initiators noted by GX on this side
of them up in terms of information so understanding that they can now start to pry towards A again
after that initial kill from Fliklis. They could with a rotation to match this of course
and Wayne with the ultimate and Molly to slow things down.
Yeah, they well read so far, Molly looks good for the lead, but keep an eye on Wayne using
that ultimate as the players try their best to try and get this bit down, but it's not
going to work out.
Rifle's on the ground, saw the bodies, Team Lek with the bear of us right now.
Wall persists for just a minute, blocks enough bullets to get Grubby the plant and
healed off the extra damage.
Actually, Clown, no, he can't, he can't get away.
still a lot on health for many of the players, Grubby now holding onto his own ulti as well
as the operator, he's going, so is Fleckless, so what does Kloat have, no initiation, she
looks to try and, I mean he's really going to try it on, he's just thrown a total in,
it is going to be 2-2.
We could look at much better in these last couple and with GX finding themselves in the
eye of the storm there on the site. After Wayne had impeccable timing on this Utile usage,
there's no chance to set it up whatsoever. Can't play to any of those wind conditions.
And despite the early death, Liquid make him the most of it. Here you go. They're average.
So it's just average for the average Kyra. There you go. Average Jaws. Suppose so.
the life of the lower bracket though mate. Whoever gets through this one in the end isn't gonna
care what label you give them. At the end of the day as we've said before it's not about how you win
as if you win at this point in time because every game you play is a lesson learned. Let me tell
you both teams have it. Had to feel should have lessons so far through these brackets.
Yeah, mini-boot hoping to use that education from the previous round to not overstep the
line here.
I mean you look at the buy from GX, it is mostly sheriffs.
Cloud still has his rifle from the previous, and yeah you don't want to walk into too
much trouble, wane another great Molly, and anyway we're just actually sitting in it
Fully we'll take two kills, but liquid still short handed on the A site here
Especially after the rest comes through and the sequel's this is a really heavy investment for Jane Hanks
Only dizzy from camo does get shot out and GX understanding that all of the players
With blue jerseys on their backs are in back site right now
Just come off to planted
Camo, I mean, in saying that is sort of second guessing the potential of a flank coming in.
Nice bit here from that, just flood out into the site and build a bridge.
A cornerstone which Liquid can try and make the most of here in their retake attempt.
Wingman to go onto the spike and taps cause a little bit of panic here for GX,
but very quickly dealt with and there's a molly to counter here from Fliklus as well.
Nice team.
I'm starting to run down as you say and with their noses to the grindstone
That's now missing the illusion of safety is lost and GX are back in front
Yeah, it really makes ultimate usage and utility as well that raise coming an absolute clutch to even out the numbers
And team left with on that second guessing themselves the fact that they were ready
You could see Camo ready starting to move away
Yeah, I don't know about that one
At the same time though
It's all about that final post plan that we did. JNX once again, we're playing off one another.
Nice glove! Nice glove! Good job!
Point and break it.
Looking at still some of the ults that we've got.
The cycle is brutal at this point in time and you're just waiting to see one of these teams really get the better of it.
GX having heavily conditioned this long control that was started arounds.
Very common default for an attack side to just be prodding here early
And I mean we get to see any of the big guns out for liquid either
I mean they've just not got the money to do it. It's a factor that's been so back and forth between the two
The fact that you're I mean I was in a complete low by but the fact you're able to keep your opponents honest in that last round GX with
Not the best, it's pretty good. That's a good entry as well, so I'll cut off guards.
Nice shot from MiniBoo, but a little bit sloppy with the use of the trailblazer there.
Seekers coming out for the defense for liquid this time, identifying just Cloud towards B,
but actually with the other one now heading down Sand, they finally start to realize
it is an A push where the spike's currently standing.
Speaking of being a tent to disband, not far off but not quite connecting so we head
on to post and you can see already Wayne is on the back lanes.
Gotta be thinking about Grubby as well though here and when that one-by-one does pop up,
Molly and Paul are available.
He's the late-win condition.
That's a great ultimate to come back in and the initiation even better.
Waste time in the flash.
Doesn't quite hit him.
Any kills but it's up to Grubby who's already used his ultimate and is Molly.
It's been a little bit expensive, but it will net Team Liquid around.
Yeah, I mean, just didn't feel like there was a plan B there, Grubby fully committed to playing post and everyone else all hands on deck on site.
Bit of a disconnect between the two, ends up spending the ult and they don't get the round.
And the mummy's still riding on this knife's edge, like we said. Liquid very happy to...
I'm glad that we're all of us locked in.
I'm calling around around pipe rules
that no one knows.
Nah, I used it last year.
Yeah, maybe a bit of a miscommunication there for them.
But they're not going to care.
They've still won the round.
And, I mean, as long as they keep
picking up rounds on this defence,
maybe we end at like a 6-6, even 5 rounds to 7.
Liquid gonna be happy.
Yeah, just need to be careful of Aris' showstoppers.
He is only on a stinger, and that's exactly what he's
Looking to play awful. The pull is not too bad.
And still Team Liquid with Miniboo are able to come out with a few kills in front.
Specs still recollected and finally put on the floor by Nats.
So with that Team Liquid really quickly let us round.
Yeah, he's a play through the team from Liquid. I don't know if Miniboo hindered
his own teammates out there, Camo's thrash or not, but
it was superfluous to the end result was flick this off to it may matter not
Wayne is on the case and liquid now the next to break an advantage here team
liquid so far have been able to only string two rounds together before trying
extra talk this is very nicely done by pop on the end to at least a night yeah
Yeah, the surest off on the go off.
Hinder kind of just drops in on everyone, right?
Yeah, but the fact of the matter is you say only a couple rounds before GX responds
when you actually look at the timeline, Liquid have four from the last five
and two of GX's three rounds picked up were the pistol round and the eco.
So when it comes to the rifles, they have been a level above right now.
not going to see too many of those in this time out.
And what do GX try and talk about here in terms of these rifle
rounds and whether they're going wrong?
Because for me, it feels like when
GX press that go button, let's set the state, let's go.
That's what Team Liquid are really catching them off guard
on the initial execute.
That's plenty to talk about.
I'm sure he'll know this time that the Viperal
isn't at his disposal, so no plans built around that one of course, but there is a ViperRot
up on the GX side with Flakeless, and you can see Arras bought a Bucky as well. It's not
really seen too many of the like niche weapons, the shotguns, the outlaws, used in EMEA. It's
been a thing that people have been talking about a lot recently, perhaps not using and
abusing them as much as possible, but yeah, I mean, I'd say the Outlaw has seen a
lot of players. That is true, depending on player really, right?
I think anti lack of chamber as well for the most part has inhibited that at points, but yeah
Still
There's one of the teams that's using them all that anything it actually would be liquid to be honest
That's specifically who right now is taking this brawl in the octagon in garden
And getting away with it. Yeah, I'm feeling several pork and what you have
can't get him over as he's forced onto his shorty and I was just a bucket. We're not
fighting the whole lot of flawless, and he's one flawless for Team Liquid.
First flawless of this map, I think it's fair to say because honestly with how
back and forth the rounds have been, if Liquid can now actually just kick on
from this and end the half in a convincing fashion, then it's a
completely different story. And I think that even comes all the way back towards the latter stages of
par. We all knew that they weren't going to turn that one on its head. The writing was on the wall,
but what they were able to do was build up a little bit of confidence to now take into this
last map, but they looked much the better team in these rifle rounds. It seemed like a better
relief for Lohan there in that coach reaction. Right now, seeing sort of execution all through
short for the players of Giant X and we ain't even forced out of land so confirmation through
the two players will allow team Liquid to rotate all here so it's 10 players on the east
side of the map. GX have this pit in post they choose to use it's a different question and actually
Miniboo is flanking around but post plant has been an issue so far. Nice utility, nice
and it's going to end up with 3 of his own.
And Team Liquid, yet to lose their own POSTAEMO Vintage Nats, with that prismatic Phantom on
the Bind A site.
The B site even, I mean, anywhere he goes, you expect the magic to follow.
And for as much as we were saying that his fragging had somewhat struggled over kickoff so far,
I just see how much it means now as they're really starting to lift this level up.
Finally reaching what could be the final form for Team Liquid.
Right when they need it, right when it comes to the money tank.
before finals weekend a grueling one
that's for this woman and saying the last best of three to be played in that
it's just finally really reaching his form
midi boot has been flanking since minute one here so GX are backed into a
corner he's on the op so could get weird and there's a few players walking
through the cave so it's slow to check this maybe GX do expect a player moved
up seems to be the case with how slow they're moving but Aros operator doesn't
even get a shot off so not at all Aros so many boost operator doesn't get a shot
off and for being you identified as a late lock where does the spake go
because Janet X are questioning themselves it's like to head back towards A
actually and it's the perfect call is liquid go lunging through the
teleporter they've left gnats exposed he's the only one here
yeah but Claude has been left all alone and died through that so nice 1v3
nearly a chance to deny because any of the short team denies the spade
not gonna mean all too much though because the pit stays up but one thing
that GX are without right now is numbers and still Grubby only on a
sheriff is isolated from his teammate the fact that Grubby does have them
Molly up though is the most important part looking to try and get a clean fight with the sheriff can't do it
You can see fleckless looking to retreat the players moving through his pet looking for him in that molly
My are just giving away his spot at highs the wingman trying to get a lot
But it can't get anything done so probably now lying up to try and deny any more
That's a brilliant shot. Can he look for anything better? He can't. Where's the molly?
It's landed at the wrong time, so Team Liquid continue their streak of rounds.
It felt like a thousand years waiting for that one to drop from the sky, and even then,
Papa, plenty of time and space to take it through in the end.
GX doing decent here to make it as close as it ended up being, but still,
Liquid...
The thing that I don't like about this round is that Clough tried to go one step further, right?
rather than just deploying the Seekers, he'd already got what he wanted,
rotated two players across, but that's in the past now.
We look towards the next, team liquid with more ultimates than the opponents,
and that's just pretty aggressive from Manibu.
Now Refract is active, edge of the smoke, waiting for the time
when the dog gets it and gets out.
Arra down as the first death for the second round in a row.
Hmm. GX without the outlet here and a spanking heavy on the odds just to bring it back on
his feet. Yeah, sure force from Team Liquid away from the Viper's pet to show that they
are well stopped and there's nowhere to go! FUGINIX! A brilliant double by Wing continues
to make the attack flow under. And with the changes that we've seen to this Liquid
side still doing the right things in the mid round now, feeling the rhythm of the
game fighting the weak arm of the push and the ults mean nothing on the GX side. Seekers
to confirm what we already knew and actually Nats is just going to wrap the full way around
here. Yeah the map getting smaller and smaller as many as we have to escape through his dash
and still these smorks proven an issue. Yeah it's like GX are spending more in their
utility more holds more. Of
these tools, but not gaining
any ground for it. The key
characteristic of this map is
obviously the teleporters, but
I thought for a minute, Jane
Hicks, we're going to go for
that. And that would have been
the brilliant back breaker for
this defense. Instead is going
to be a save call. And like
with up to eight 10 seconds
left, even then the late
positioning of Nats plays
Joker to all of this, and he
the wrong way not gonna get anything but liquid half their rates like you say and this defense
just gets better and better we are waiting to see gx turn up to this final map and do you think
many threes enough if that is the waski scenario nine three from from gx's perspective was it three
right enough probably not probably not i think you were at the very least one like four rounds
but even then like we said the attack biases that we've seen on this map in the past like I
Just don't feel too confident even with West side on the sage here as well a little bit more of the stopping power. Yeah
It's an aggressive set piece from liquid to end off the half
It starts with our getting in amongst it but mini-bubes follows it up by dropping the spine
Yeah, and the smokes don't put the lane in the sand for Janix to try and fade over
And that's gonna be a real eschewed chemical section, but in the wrong place
Liquid hamstrung for just a moment
But GX still the ones that have to roll their sleeves up here without the spike
It's a three on three now at least I love this from my neighbor has possession is absolutely crucial here comes the rocket
our trying to
Breathe this GX side back to life. It's cloud instead perhaps but Wayne still with an opportunity
Pertunity, one which he can't fully seize.
Now seeing on the shoulders of Perpo,
here's the steps, can't find the shots.
Who have he gives them for?
At the very least, GX hanging in this one, but not by much.
Yeah, there's a real layflame to take into the second half.
Also, please, there, the unknown quantity
looks like a real benefit to Team Liquid's map pool,
but will they be able to close it out?
We'll find that out after a short break.
Red Bull gives you wings.
to the stage against his former
teammates is powerful. It's been
up and down for him throughout
his career with the players that
he shared the stage with,
including that's on teams in the
past, but this is a new version
of him that we're seeing. Yeah,
we're seeing a lot of
players that have been
involved in the game, but
we're seeing a lot of
players that have been
involved in the game,
especially in the
version of him that we're saying yeah really is it feels like he's come into form post that job
life stint that they had obviously didn't get to be able to play an ascension with the team but
with that being said finding himself a spot on team liquid a team with a lot of prestige in the
region it's about him living up to that prestige now and that he deserves this spot which so
far in the series he looks like he does yeah it's a different role for him of course it
It was the dualist on job life, but as you say,
that spoke very highly of him from the time that they shared together and through the trials
of the right work ethic to make this happen.
That's what Liquid are all about this year.
And throughout the grind, they are looking to find the pistol.
They could just push it out of reach, but actually GX with numbers of B
have an iron wall which Liquid just cannot breach.
Yeah, I mean so far giant x if they wouldn't that's would be five to one in terms of pistols
And that's not been the problem as we've already taken about I mean look if we just played it on pistols
Who knows how far they could go in this kickoff, but I think we'll just stick with triple elimination rather than
Adding in any extra rules. Yeah
As you say this one's still not done yet they know about the one player hooker, but that's still undetected here
Yeah, but he's given all his possession. Yeah, with the molly. Still is it.
Hold for the fight to work on the rune.
It's a dividing call cut for Giant X.
Spake and Normans land, and this a formality.
Arrow with three kills on the round.
He's going to make it four before the bell tolls and GX
get almost all the pistols in this series.
But it's what they can do here after which is most important to us
Really anyone show up in the second half is gonna be hugely important to their chances
We saw him a little bit more success with that up on the last map and
Already on an outlaw here nice and early to see what he can get done
Yeah, and we'll judge gx of five to one and pestles team liquid of three to two on second rune
So yeah, let's let's just watch. Oh, that's one please. Oh
Early information from clouds flash means that it's an orb for our and early line control
my rotations
Have arrived on the A site yet as GX are now fully aware of what liquid are trying to do here with the guns
They have mini moves on one with his bucket by the way, so lucky to find anything really
We've seen from Ginex on a second round, there's really many of them off too, I mean at this point, who knows, who cares, what can he do with this Bucky?
Second TP taken perhaps, into showers, the one HP Bucky clutch, have you ever seen this before?
I don't think I'll ever will, to be honest mate.
I'm just gonna say, he got one more there.
If I were around that corner.
I feel as if he's been employed by Daft Punk
to promote the single round.
I was like, come on, what's going on?
I was like, Deran Deran yesterday and now Daft Punk.
We're showing our age here, but I'm a man of culture.
Nothing wrong with the classics, I'm right there with you.
You've called Daft Punk.
I know, it's awful, isn't it?
It is absolutely awful.
But there you go.
So, rifle rounds. Most importantly on this map have gone the majority of the way of Team Liquid, so no JNX need to prove to us that they have got what it takes on this bonus.
So at least, poison issue.
Kind of problems they can create.
Early War from Westside leaves a bit of a gap for Ara here, so it's more of a distraction than anything else.
Just confirming it.
Only Wayne on the other side in sand. The brunt of this push is
Towards long and one mini boot didn't feel like he was gonna fully commit to the side there
Just looking for a dual car with it early advantage for GX
No ticket
Seven there's a treat not one that's
So pretty I probably just finds the strangest kills no traces on that either cloud is spanning with the Phantom
Grubby also looking to make the map smaller but one versus one. This is when much you'll come out on top of yeah
That's a huge win for Grubby knows that he has the safety of space to pick up the orb as well
He's still all alone on this seat of the map he is
What around it would be if GX could pick it up a bonus here has a molly
He can delay the plant maybe a little bit more than anything else wants to find a position of safety
I think he's phoned it.
It's a 1v1 again!
The headshot will connect onto Wayne. He doesn't find the kill.
So, goes 3 on 3 in this situation.
Yeah, a fair weapon, a definite scenario.
But at this moment, Team Jane X split up.
And it looks as if the majority of the forces towards CT
are at the only one flanking as it stands.
Team Liquid encroached upon from his position.
Forstery Scoper finds the kill.
finds the kill. Showstopper online in our chance to constrict and compound the pain for Liquid.
Westside three of his own and we are within one. Very quickly how things can tum. Bonus
converted. Team Liquid now in a very difficult position. Economy wise the ultimates not
really built up either. And GX gonna give a real opportunity to send forward the relief
and law hands feats will surely tumble to deserry since the second half has started.
He's very quick on the trigger to pull out a Timo.
As much as we've spoken about attack side biases, I think liquid on their attack halves in general
have struggled on the whole. I think it would be fair to say because with a new lineup,
it's always the most difficult to try and rectify. I feel like on the defender's side,
sometimes the roles the reactions they figure themselves out that's always been very good at calling that whereas here
It's a stress test against the gx side which now with a bonus under their belt
showing signs of life in rifle rounds, which we've not seen
Renewed confidence pushing the limits grubby there finding big value on the last
Yeah, and it's actually
Funnily enough right you're talking about like a taxis in defame seed winways
is actually the defense which has been proven for Jane X on this map, which is
Incredible to see consider this map so far. It sort of speaks to what I'm saying as well
This is where you're expecting liquids to really get things going
But yeah where GX have placed most of their focus and as I said before was on the defender side because it's where they lost all
Those rounds in their first game here against mates
It's where they certainly showed improvements against Pacific
But still did end up losing those last few rounds and couldn't close it as we saw they had difficulties on the last
Just have to keep tracking it as liquid can't offer us the best of buys from their time out here. Oh
Shot just goes
Hitches away from connecting to a head
You can see the skill looking very good so far, because it's Westsake from very far away
to try and get a couple kills and he's successful now.
Nice shot from Westside, Orff goes up here as well.
Westside wants a little bit more and he's going to find it.
Three players scalloped on the liquid side, Flash in his face and actually Nats is profiting
from it and find it flintless but Westside still going. Nats isn't there to deny this
one so a chance to find all five.
It was just about going to get it.
Yeah, not with a little bit of trouble filling up Rosé and me. They've charged on the
other kills, but we can ignore the last one.
We'll go down if the books is an ace regardless. The king of headshots is finding all four
allowance before he just confirms it and the big thing here after this round is we come out all
even with both teams on a rifle round. Rohan would have been emphasising the game plan for this next one.
the game. Yeah, it's feeling
very happy that spirits now
running high and that has to be
a talking point here because.
Liquid at these moments. We
know how much of an emotional
leader that's can be, but. You
know who's bringing the vibes
up? Who is it that's actually
getting them back into this
For as commanding as his speeches can be
Sometimes you just need a little lift and I'm waiting to see it happen chance to strike it early not gonna land the shot
No, that's
No, he does but it gets healed off. Yeah
Both players on the end of that engagement healed off and with no shields left
We're still team liquid want to go back and try and force the issue here
GX have brought an extra member over. 5 vs 3, a chance for Liquid to try and take the
B site but it's well supported and actually groovy. The timing could be worse because
he's cancelled that rotation.
Looks like we've succeeded so far on the initial entry into the safe and the Seekers
identifying players trying to hape within the smokes still including able to stay alive
but not much longer.
as Arra, once again, tries to play at the tricks that the other players were doing.
That raise could be huge, still though, they're not cleared in the corner.
They keep on ramping each other, and finally, they'll clear that out.
But it's onto this fake that's most important.
A small drive to Spamgood, and a 1 vs 2 for West State to try and clutch,
which he'll be unsuccessful in.
Yeah, okay. Sure.
That's winning that one with a wild spray in the end.
I'm not a fan of those smokes on site, honestly, from Wayne.
I just gave so much room for a GX to play around here.
Arrow was in that smoke for so long, MiniDoo gets this.
He's like, oh, actually, wait, there is someone there.
When he times it, it gets traded.
It's bottom of the barrel.
Let's be real.
But liquids have kept themselves in front just about for now.
out. So back to it. Got a slow start. One which either team are willing to let the other
do the walk. Waiting to see what happens here. I mean, the ramifications of this round could
be huge GX with some money beneath them but not an infinite supply liquid need
this one more than they do
clouds trying to clear long miniboot seeing if you can get in behind maybe an
opportunity to fly ahead of the curve and find the sky player but it's a really
deep hold here from GX and with ours control on the opposite extremity
it's everything that they need to set up yeah it's not only that it's the
exit ultimates that Team Liquid have here to make the safe veils.
And the majority of the players for the defence as he earned the thrash used, Fost and Grubbick
were out of possession, as Naisco is one bit up, all the ultimates thrown in.
It's basically a formality at this point, well everyone's already dead and then the ult's
going, so Liquid maybe not maximising their distribution of them there.
with the spike plant denied. Maybe there was a moment for things to get interesting but half of the course they would make it through.
As you said it's all about the optimization especially towards the business end of this match.
This map. You look at what was used there. Seekers thrash.
I mean
Yeah, I mean it's four volts to take the site it just really feels like way more than you would ever need in that situation
I guess that's the thing right how many reps do they have with this exact comp on this map if we've gone to a
Decider with how this veto was set up. Yeah, and I mean it's not only that like I could understand if you chucked all those
Ultimates and to around where the defense maybe had a potential bad buy on the next
it's a swing room sure you want to send it but yeah yeah maybe a little bit
miscommunication there and that could be a deciding factor as we see the
ultimates come back on lane for giant X I mean like I said Liquid did have some
slight money troubles but they've got a couple of really rich players Nats is
really up to 8k at this point in time whereas others were just scraping to
get by Gribby the poorest in the server and yeah now GX is by could be
broken if they end up losing this one potentially. Ara has the op out again and once more he will
reprise his role in showers. There is this tape. An opponent defamed, one being camel.
They should have the utility to clear the position of the operator. He's playing a
patient game, minibu on the other hand is diving in head first at any opportunity that
It beckons him to do so because he's been consistently receiving these heals from Perpo
in the meantime and actually with the regen shield.
When did you switch out for a rifle that you had stashed?
I guess so, right?
Just drops it on the ground and the biggest thing here is that if Liquid do want to
lean into an A site execute, Arras still has all of the showers control.
It's a fully one-dimensional this.
the smokes are in and I mean nobody really challenging the spike attempt you can
see he'll be thinking about it but he ends up getting his life cost so the
spike to be reattempted and flick less thinking what about the idea of swinging
out trying to cut our out of position
Molly denied it at the first chance, flick was still hanging around here, still the Viper
spec goes in so that's gonna be the foundation in which the attack can
Make this post plant work.
One ult which was left up for them.
And it might just be the one which seals this round, Kaira.
I don't think there's much left here for G.E.G.No.
Maybe an opportunity for them to just get away with the saved guns.
It's just west side to do it in the end.
Oh, you can see Street 08.
Team Liquid want to hunt their stone.
This is an important rifle to try and save.
Wastec stands up to the forces of Team Liquid.
But stand no longer.
It's up to 11 for the attack and ends on flawless. Yeah, and with this round now behind us
The previous doesn't feel anywhere near as hefty in terms of those ultimates invested
It was literally just the pit from that stair, which as we know from the one clip that we got earlier
He likes to try and build around
As soon as they get to that position. I mean these kills from mini bill. It's just crazy
Yeah, more predicting where players are gonna be than anything else on the pre-fire
No, the big thing here is the fact that
it's looking like the defense with your economy and tatters if they lose this
Team Liquid with a real opportunity to win the map, you know
make the opponents be on ports and pines, be on the lesser by
I mean, is there another twist in the tail or does this end
as it looks like we were expecting GX with a track piece flash for our contact.
It just never arrives. Once again MiniBoot buying up that operator and having a stash
rifle. Part of the game plan for Team Liquid and with that all dropped, I'm wondering does
GX start to think this is going to be A? There's pings going out and there's rotates
coming over. Yeah look like Flickruss is trying to body block it for an extra angle here. I don't
think he's got the gap he was looking for though. It's still staying on this push a little longer.
Utility is somewhat good and he's going to be looking at Cloud Seekers. He's trying to
fight forward. That's the spike on the ground. Team Liquid may be a little bit too eager to try
and take space and well those Seekers are going to be used. It's Giant X. Hold on.
That's in camel
What have you got for it?
It's not a whole bunch
It's up to the captain though
Who's been so good on Bane
But it won't be good enough
To Ennesso
Giant X answers straight back
Yeah, and that's 22 and 12 right now
But even his heroics will not be enough
To give Liquid any more than the 11 rounds
They currently have
Fun interaction there actually
With the dash in the site
Another player stood on West Side's wall
Stopped it from fully forming
fully forming and letting you boost up on the back of the RV there. But the difference
here really and similar to what GX were doing really well last year is just dumping that
utility on the site execution, actually having some fight back where it feels like before
they were giving up so much space for free. Yeah and next if Flicklers can get an orb
or a kill that's the Viper's pet up for the next one. So the spacing of the Ultimates
looks even better for the defence and if you have that Viper's pet to try and continuously
or an ultimate every round to continuously probe at your opponents and have a ace up
the sleeve you get closer and closer. The ultimate bank for each team has gone empty
now though. The GX trying to make a final stand. They're looking to get value from
long control here are as in two minds doesn't know whether he wants to fight
this or not thinks better of it and it's a good reason liquid anticipating this
but not camo's casualty a death on a
initiators trying to make something happen as it's mini boo that goes checking
on the b-side which now could very soon be overrun those toxins won't last
forever here for fleckless no they won and it seems if team would have
Ideals of who will they want to go, not sure it's Gorae.
And no, the attack forced to go elsewhere towards Westside.
Yeah, Westside just has to stay alive as long as possible.
The wall would suggest that he's playing towards Heaven,
but now dropped into the bin back site.
That's all up to him.
He looks like he wants to take this fate.
And that's how Westside's say,
is he looks to hold it down.
Teamwork!
And absolutely no chance to get this fight down!
We're with them one!
Razor sharp from Westside
GX making this a one round game again with 10 of their own
Flix is doing a much better job at marshalling the situation on short
in these last couple between the anchors
Sit down guys sit down
In the game of course
Just making sure there was no confusion there
But they're sat now. West side has shot this Liquid side up.
Yeah, they're definitely sat. And again that ultimate conversation comes into play, especially since Wasey popped up.
He has his raise back on. But the players on the B site have really been forced back in.
Liquid have been trying a lot towards that state of the map, but it's conditioning that's walked out in their favour.
We've actually seen Liquid use the mosh there as well to clear out the space, but GX going
back and doing some of the same flick, losing the duel on short this time.
A key component to success in the previous few rounds.
Let's play those heroes off and watch them work, and obviously that raise that we spoke
about before.
Wastage so sharp, he'll take a win trying to swing it from short.
Cloud even on the spam drops, mini-boo in the process.
undetected and just like that GX has set up to tie this game.
Purple out on the B site, someone's hit the TP there, I don't know what's going on but
Nats is choked out of position, picks up a new gun and he's going to be able to
fell out. Oh that's all going on but the decay has him dead and now it's
It's got to be Palpo, 1v4.
Foul's the first, stops the defuse, the hands of Palpo busy, but not any longer, GX.
Still alive in this game.
Three MROs for the defense.
Can they go one step further, Team Liquid?
What is going on?
They do have their second tamer, if they do want to go and use it.
And it feels like this would be a good time.
So we're going to see it.
I'm just loving the reaggression here constantly, consistently from GX, not being afraid of counter-fighting.
But again, I guess the opposite to that is that liquid are not prepared for any of these reswings.
Yeah, and I think as well that the thing that a lot about GX is just the confidence to try and push these smokes, push these angles that you wouldn't expect.
But having the quality to back up, for instance, west side on that literal, like couple pixels he can stand away from the smoke, being able to collect ahead, who else would you put in that position and be confident he's going to win on such a small moment?
I mean, with Westside running hot and the rest now starting to reach that level.
Something we've said about GX a lot of the time, at least from their compositions, is
that they just don't give themselves a high enough ceiling.
But it's the individuals always that have made this team look exciting.
Some of the names that they picked up from, you know, tier two in the last year, Arafliklis.
and you know even west side as well at the start in kickoff how much they've grown to now challenge this liquid side
Which sit two rounds away as max regulation is
anticipated here a
Buy that they have out of the time out
It's the first time we see both teams really put a priority on showers instead
Ara wanted that off. He does have the showstopper. One kill would be enough instead.
You just know Miniboo's gonna pre-fire this corner. Oh yeah, you can see. So many of these kills that he's picked up is just
Tempted fate at this point. I like this one, Joe, next. Deposit the pit. Make sure there's not an angle in which to walk.
When force the players through the angle you want them to be in.
them to be in. Alright actually flipping the script this time and now it looks like all
stations go for liquid caught on the spam. Purple able to pick up the kill through miniboo's
movement a brilliant distraction it falls on flickless can't shoulder the burden. GX
maybe just slipping away at the finish line here as liquid look most likely to take
12. With the spake down and 5 players alive, EA is going to be team liquid with the
ultimate advantage to close this out. What a clod and wish they'd have to come back in.
One flash and a full siege build. West side's just walling himself up saying you know what,
give me a fight because I will win it. Liquid not willing to do that. Four members in short
right now. The last one left was Miniboot and detached from the pack. He's going
to find West side immediately. Cloud is the final one standing. Shouldn't be for
too much longer if midi-boo has his way with things which he won't but for the most part
liquid dude. And with the cloud able to keep a rifle into the next it won't really matter
in terms of the economy but it is liquid with the first chance and the only chance
to win over this map and regulation. Cloud just about keeping the rifle there before
The buzzer goes. This was clinical from Liquid. Bidered their time, waited for a gap, something
that GX had left open a couple of times, both teams focusing on that area.
And as the coaches watch intently onwards, it's a one round shootout. First opportunity
for Liquid to take this series and move on to next week. One bullet in the chamber. With
the opportunity is one where you feel like Liquid should have the goods to close and
look at many, but he's looking to try and find a player. It's not a fight he wants
to take flexless wins out advantage defense.
Toxins going up, boys and girls.
In terms of what Liquid want to do,
they're actually just grouping up to take A.
They've seen the Viper player here.
West side still unknown.
Would be a three versus two, however.
Here.
Still a West 8.
It's not a player you want to feed either.
Very good at taking the head.
It's just a walkout.
Camel surprises West 8.
At a showstopper, obviously, gonna be good for this retake as Flickless plays on the edge of the smoke.
They've cleared all around showers, but they still don't know about Flickless' position.
He's the one propping up this retake. GX's last chance to stay alive.
Well, here comes the showstopper, and here comes Giant X.
They look to try and clear out the site.
Purple, the only player in there, has been found.
The showstopper looking to go and find Nais, and this is the chance to take it to overtime.
Pui has been denied an opportunity to swing it.
It's a desert instead of manning each other to being sent out of the way.
But it's up to Camel all alone to try and deny.
He won't get it.
We're going all the way.
Last gasp stuff from Giant Eggs.
I missed Mully or two in the mix there.
And I'll take every opportunity that they get
because we're going to overtime.
These two, stage two grand finalists from last year
Going pound for pound, you're fine, but only one of them
can make it to the final week of competition and kick off
Scythe's set of Santiago a long way away for now
It's the same story against OV, last map overtake
It's easier guys, our life is not that easy, okay?
But neither of them willing to give an inch here, and GX now back on the attack side where
so many of those issues stem from, last game Team Liquid were then overtaking, they won
the mapo and two quick runs, off or not Giant X, Giant X have much more quality
experience and these positions round started with mini boo quicker on the
trigger but with the round allowed to breathe things go quiet and defense
hasn't done all too much searching that's knows about be long sits empty for now
but just still two players on the backside of a mini boo pushing the
and finding the kill that he needs.
Dashing to safety.
Aaron in the mix trying to get something done, but it's a 5 vs 3 for Liquid right now.
And there's a chance to get the spake done, which is more important.
The GXL3 vs 5.
Long rotation for Nats as he was still just watching over the B side of the map,
but GXL3 had to make something happen here.
Had to create a catalyst. It was the flash from Cloud.
Now it's got to be the gun in his hands.
Four players insuring on this position, Liquid will give themselves another chance to take Bind, this time in OT.
BJV, from yesterday.
Can Liquid close it out as clean as he did against OV and OVT.
Players not considering the off angles.
Team Liquid being a bit cheeky and it peeing out.
You got to remember that means no by the way thank you mate no worries plenty for
giant X though liquid have already won a couple of over times 1412 in that
statistic they look the strongest here it's back to the attack side in terms of
where they're able to find success,
need some pieces towards aim more than anything else.
This long control from GX has been a pillar
of their defensive structure.
But are they over-investing here?
Is it too much?
Because when that spike goes down on A,
the deaths spoke about it,
the amount of utility and post here
that they have on the liquid side.
Yeah, but it's also how good GX have been at holding their sights, at holding them there.
Especially this man right here, Westside.
Look at this, GX playing a high line on this defence of the A site.
It's good to late.
Trying to disconnect the pushes.
As we're seeing Miniboot dash and dive in, nobody there to contact.
GX, Westside, from the corner, holding on.
As you expect him to be under fire, under pressure.
And Team Liquid straight back, ball for ball, that spade can go down.
Next kill might just decide the round here.
Cloud doesn't want to overstay, but purple might just have Spice gone out in the open.
Cloud, Flash, and Swing, and a good double kill!
Real cool one more round of oval team, it's GX, keep themselves alive.
GX playing the better round on the whole,
loved that they wanted to fight that chunk a little bit more aggressively there.
But in the 2-1-2, that's gotta feel like a missed opportunity for Liquid tossing the spike across default.
Yeah, what is going on?
In that situation, it's just heat of the moment, desperation stuff.
And it's just not thinking.
That's just bad. Just playing that simple.
These players making mistakes like that.
And it's just gonna be, for this overtime, who's gonna be the team to break the attack ground?
Yeah, and who has the strongest mental because Liquid have now surpassed two opportunities
to claim this map and GX back on the attack are about to get a face full of mini boot.
Again, it's unrelenting in these pushes, but with no recalls, no support, he goes down empty-handed.
Could that be the deciding kill?
Team Liquid overstepping the mark. Maybe, as we said, the last team on the defence, they were being cheeky. Perhaps too cheeky this time.
I think the one aspect that favours Liquid here is that GX have been going blindly into some of these executions.
Cloud is on a fact-finding mission towards Nat's position, where he is the sole anchor of B, as it stands.
GX will be any longer. The team's gonna start to fever the defense in terms of strength of position
How much time do you have to clear all these corners?
I mean actually GX have made the right call they're gonna head towards this B site the wall is up for that
He can by delay time. He has a strong position in hookah to fend from but he can hear those footsteps echoing the holes now
And it has to be nice on bind
the support, aww!
Aves, Flickless finds one of the kills,
but Nat's still going, still overlooked.
Park comes in from Westside and they do cut him off.
Yeah, faintly.
But Wield to the attack, go in terms of the post plant.
How did he set up?
At least healing off the damage is going to be huge for Grubby.
And hearing that double TP, GX has to be thinking about the backlines here as well.
Nat's unable to partner up with Wayne
and actually leaves Camo solo towards CT.
Westside on a strong angle, can't win the fight.
Wayne back in the conversation.
Now GX on the back foot.
Liquid looking for their third match point,
third series point.
Plowed to keep them alive, but GX go down again.
And so Liquid make the best of a bad situation
and we'll get another opportunity to see this one through.
And we were talking about it.
The first one was to break the attack ground
and the goal is that GX had the best chance
So of all the chances so far, the fans trying to show support, as we are going to see a
pretty complete, it's all I want to get instructions for this attack.
As a coach, sometimes you just have to know when is the right time to intervene, both teams
getting an extra time out
coming into OT. And with two
chances already passing them by,
lohan is being strict here on
what he wants to see from his
players to have them walk away
from this. Not without a few
scars. I think it's fair to say,
but the sort of character building
that you expect at this stage in
the season. I think as well
considering that we were
speaking about giant eggs having
the game. It's a very good
opportunity. And the defender
side for the most part has
looked better of the two, but
it has been a case of retakes.
Spikes diffused in every round.
We've seen thus far in the
extension of play. That's
operator hits the field. That
is the biggest tool that
operator hits the field that is the biggest talking point and the big
change up here for liquid glass cannon up on the attack we'll just you want to
sit up looks to hold short to be honest seeing maybe if you can punish punish a
flick let's try to face check here where that wall has been causing him a few
issues and yeah the jump peak already tested from the Belgian a little bit
more reserved as Nats looks to explore this part of the map.
He knows that Wastate has been playing from Heaven, so that's also maybe a consideration.
Just looking for something right now.
They could give this one the time of day, just waiting for that first opportunity, but the long barrel may betray Nats as he tries to find Fliklas here.
It's Grubby actually that will take him off the board first.
Violent end.
And what now for Liquid? You know, you were looking for that kill with the op.
Where's the second layer? There is some pressure created towards B, but other than that, it's all in on A.
Yeah, but it's another one of those smokes that gives space to backseat for Giant X.
You can see ManiBi looking to play on the edge, but Grubby comes out on top.
So once again, Giant X, hold on to this A site, and Team Liquid struggle, struggle and post.
But what do you have, other than just these utility that's post-plan?
is molly from waiting he'll buy a little bit of time but not enough to win the round with his life lost
that might just be it kairou
recall again one more boat of over tame
and i mean has a after a tamo i'm wondering what what was the game plan there yeah well i mean
obviously you can see that they were trying to build around that operator as much as possible
liquid but as I said in the round in terms of second layers and what actually the setup was
it's just punishment in the end from Groovy actually who finds the first two kills
Westside cheeky with the wall a lot of 1v1s a lot of isolated engagements
and it's so frustrating on the liquid side as this one goes longer and longer into the night
to keep on top of and you look
at this for owns for post plans
for owns going the way of the
defense so it's not as if we're
struggling to get to post.
Team able to convert it feels
like as soon as we see that first
attack round that might be the
team.
The walks away from this.
In the pre round look like
purple was thinking about buying
He's solo towards showers
Everyone on GX
Couped up towards the bottom of shot
He's slow walk through the one way to try and contend with an angle
Which many boot tries to play with the once again nobody clears it and it feels like that's the second time
Thug time of seeing this
What's the definition of insanity?
Doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result
And it's not gonna change looks like more defender sided dominance
GX who'll give this a chance of course they will they have to
But I have to say look I mean midi boo had been struggling on a couple of these initial engagements
I think GX punishing his over extension here. It's just a little bit more reserved right playing in the side with the support of the utility
We're gonna find one, but 25 seconds or so
So, Spike needs to go in and Westside has to play Protector.
Oh, I mean, try and roll the way through, play off one another, tap into space, beat the peak, doesn't work out, team Liquid, the initial work and the round was good.
And that's team, we actually don't go to post.
No, we don't, for the first time actually, so some positives to take from that if you're Liquid, but you and Far between at this stage in the game.
GX are the ones with the onus on them as it has been this is now
liquids fourth opportunity
To win this match one in regulation the third in overtime on our screens
GX with more of the same that set up does not bend
Really break
Now they're gonna go near A because they've never had a chance and well B doesn't look much better either
as Ana gets the entry cloud
Helping out, or somehow Team Liquid fight back
The health bill not the best, but the body count certainly is
Has to be flakless, trying to heal up Mini Boo in between the two of them here
He's on the site early, he does have a maul, even the seekers identify him
waiting for the peek, sees the head of the sky, can't quite connect.
Team Liquid should have everything that they need.
Oh, but he gave a chance to Fleckless.
A one versus one, does he consider many boots?
It'll take two bullets to the body, but one bullet to the head is all it takes.
Team Liquid keep themselves alive, and Giant X could crash out.
the last night against off as
well. But they do move on to
next week. The final week of
kickoff in the M E a debut
outing on bind, of course
wouldn't have been without its
troubles and unfortunately for
GX. It can't make the changes
to see them win here and carry on themselves.
Yeah, I mean, we had a big conversation about GX being
that gatekeeper team, but with so many others now left
in the bracket, will you really put them
and your kind of power rankings for the region now?
I feel like the finish that we've
seen from them here, right, like what, edge of top six,
is roughly about where they end up.
And I think that there were limitations, at least,
in terms of some of the ideas that they want to play,
still carried on from the previous year.
It's a brave new world.
There are changes required, but by liquid,
look, they have made the most of the situation.
They got through it in the end,
and that is all that counts for them.
The winners' mentality of many of the players on this team
with the experience that they hold,
you expect them to do that in the end.
I think with what the six teams that we have left, Gentlemeats, BBL, Fnatic, Vitality, Team
Heretics and Team Liquid, there's a lot of quality in this bracket.
And yeah, in terms of Team Liquid, they're going to have an extra week to prepare now
as they look forward to that Team Heretics game.
Yeah, and look, it's a week of preparation that feels required for most of these teams,
I think right now.
that's what it's like to be
a part of the league is in a
shaky state. We always like to
tease the idea of what
performances will look like on
the international stage, but I
think it's hard to say that the
rosters we've seen in the lower
bracket in the last week or so
really feel ready for that step
up right now. There's a reason
why it's the lower bracket,
of course, but as you know,
there is still lots of work to
be done, but we'll hear from
some players on the liquid
Welcome everyone to the post plan. Welcome as well, Minibu and Wayne. Congratulations on that win.
What a series. I just want to know how are you both feeling right about now, especially that last map.
I feel like I'm going to fast hold on to it. I'm not going to lie.
For me, I think I'm very relieved. I think it's like a very good confidence boost for us to win against a good team like Giant.
like giants. So yeah, I think this will give us a lot of momentum for like our next game.
What's, hang on, so which was more exhausted today or yesterday?
Today.
Today? Because of yesterday or just because of, again, the apples or?
I think it adds on. I mean, yesterday was like a very hard fought series for us,
and today was even longer and we had to give out all.
Yeah. I think it's about the level we showed. I think that today we played way
better than against Fulff and China's better team and it was just a higher class
Valorant I think. Just to follow on from that then what kind of went wrong on
map to them in terms of like game plan or execution was it
did they kind of catch you off guard? I think it's I think the game plan was a
bit off and I mean it's normal to have like like off game plans for us and
like I think yeah they were just shooting better on the second map not
Yeah, but the map, I think everyone was like, like resettled and yeah, we put off the win.
Yeah, it do be like that sometimes.
What?
It do be like that sometimes.
Yeah, sometimes it happens.
Yeah, the issue better.
It is what it is.
But you were shooting really well.
I'm up to actually two threes specifically.
We have a clip that we want to show you like the redemption moments from what happened last year.
So if we can play that and we can just put that in our memory instead.
there we go well I get the question here is do you remember the clip that this is
kind of a reference to no it's the ISO clip with the ISO clip from Haven oh
but this is this is what I think is wrong again a big discussion has kind of
been like you come into this roster and like I'm not necessarily confidence
issues but like finding your feet and being able to I guess perform to
Where we've seen you kind of hit previously. Have you felt that's time to come into effect now?
Or do you still have things that you want to work on personally? I
Mean all this is too complicated. What you said I just don't care
I just try to play my best tolerance, you know and I feel like in this team
I have way more potential as an individual to be like even better player. Okay
What would you put that down to what you think it is about this liquid roster that gives you the
opportunities you have more potential. I feel like I have more trust and experience in general
and that is their playstyle is more loose where I have more you know space to actually shine and
just play you know start the world and just do my own things you know I have just the space to
do it. I'm talking about the playstyle specifically I'm gonna turn this to you Wayne because we
heard your coach saying that you're working on that identity you're now like defining it even
further for you coming in as a player. We saw you being switched from the Astro to the Omen.
We've seen some Brimstone games from you now as well. What do you feel is your spot in this team
identity wise? Honestly, I don't really know. What would you want it to be?
I think just like being consistent overall, like throughout the matches and like just
I'm just trading like Minibuff and like purple sometimes, but yeah, I just need to like trade
good and just trust my team and like just just play our game.
You're also a new addition to this Liquid roster and you came in or in the slow bracket
the pressure something that both Nats and Lohan said earlier today was you guys actually
like this pressure you like to perform under it.
Is that the same for you as well?
Not really.
You Minibuff?
I mean, I think, yeah, I'm used to, you know, being in lower bracket.
So it's way more thrilling to play Valorant when, you know, it's your last chance.
If you have like three chances, two chances, and it's kind of boring, you know,
like you're going to have a third life, second life,
and when you have one more life left, you just do it or nothing, you know?
Wayne, you said that not really.
I'm assuming you don't agree with this take at all.
I'm not used to this pressure yet.
So I think with time, I'll be the same as Minibu, but for now, not good for my health.
You're getting the Team Liquid trial by fire. I hope your heart rate is fine.
Something to also discuss is the matchup that you have coming up next, which is...
Oh yeah, yeah, heretics. I mean, Benji on the stage was saying he wanted to play against you.
You have Buu on the opposite roster as well.
Minibu, who are you looking forward to the most on playing against on the server?
I mean I'm here at the end's interview back the other day, I think yesterday
they were talking about the train and I want to stop that train here next game
but honestly like I was cheering for the boys I wanted them to win I wanted to
play against them and I think that's gonna be interesting game and like I'm
really excited to play and I'm ready to hook them up.
You know what friends like you who need enemies right at this point I mean
Wayne, you also have anything you want to say about the Heretics match-off?
Not really, we're just going to play our game and we're going to hopefully pull off the win.
No, I need you to say it with confidence, so then please go on.
Tomorrow.
Oh, next week actually, but...
Next week, yeah.
That's the one we want to hear!
I guess just to follow up on that, do you kind of see this as maybe,
not necessarily a redemption match for you, but obviously playing against the former team,
What's what's the most important thing for you having a clean victory or putting up a good performance or just eliminate them?
I think for me the most important is
winning and
after that that's like
Doesn't matter how we do it obviously like I want to play individually good against them
I'm really motivated. I really want to play against them. So I mean I
Just want to win against them, you know, so it's not like you feel like you have to prove something in that
You're more focused just on the victory itself. No, it's like it's all about the victory
It's all about being the better team against them.
It doesn't matter if I drop 5 or 13, if even I'm happy.
That's a great mindset you have.
You're not going to play selfishly, just play with the rest of the team.
I wish you guys had been doing really good as well in general.
So, Wayne, I know it's been a couple of days since I've last interviewed you.
These games are pretty back-to-back.
Do you feel more settled? How are you finding Berlin in general?
I think I'm quite settled in already.
And I'm getting more and more comfortable playing on stage.
Well especially with games like you probably not used to playing like overtime to like three
mappers and not yet, but it's a first you know and like I think throughout the season
it'll be way better.
I guess coming to this region as well in general there's obviously lots of discussions about
play style and compositions and like a different matter.
What's been the biggest learning for you obviously I mean even the last map here
they can, I think the last time you played by you played Yorra if I'm not mistaken.
What's been your biggest learning or what's caught you off guard about this region?
I think this region they have like more ideas and like different ways to like approach the
game and like I'm not really like used to it yet but I think I've been doing pretty
well so far and like even I mean for us we didn't really have much time to like practice
since I came to Berlin and like I think we're doing pretty well now like with our
new system and everything. So yeah. And for Berlin, I think that little God's
there. I prefer home, but we don't have a choice, you know, I just gotta, I just
gotta adapt. I know exactly what you're talking about. I think a lot of people
can relate, but you should be very proud of yourself to be here, put up the
performances that you guys have. You're stealing this lower bracket,
unfortunately, but a banger matchup coming up next. Once again, congratulations
to both of you.
We are going to be back next week.
However, a little reminder.
So take out your agenda or your phone
because I know everyone has like seven hours a day
of screen time.
We're going to be back next week specifically starting things
off on Thursday.
There's not going to be a show on Tuesday.
There's not going to be a show on Wednesday, Thursday
at 6 PM CET is when we're going to start.
On Friday and Saturday, we're
going to be starting at 2 PM CET
with our last final on Sunday at 6 PM.
I know that's a lot of information,
so all I can really say is make sure that you subscribe or follow the channel, whatever
it is, wherever it is, you're watching this so you can get a notification when we do go
live. But thank you guys so much for tuning in and we're going to be saying to you goodbye
for the rest of this week. But we'll see you next week. We'll leave you with the
razor and if they highlights. Bye.
Oh, that's a disaster.
Come back on the other side and why not just end it in style, he's 28th kill in 18 rounds.
Look at that man, straight through with the bushes.
Guys, what are you doing guys?
Come on, stay there!
Guys, come on, stay there!
Welcome back to 14 and 6, the crazy half from him.
One thing is for certain heretics, they didn't come to play today, they didn't come to win,
they came to dominate, to decimate, and mission accomplished.
you
you
you
you
you
The heart's rushing when you take it all in
Baby, this is what we call a life
To feel it, take the world by storm
Just you and I, you and I
Can't believe it, it's just so long to reapply
This is what we call a life
To feel it, take the world by storm
You and I can't believe
It takes so long to be alive
So make sense, make sense, make sense
Cause this is where we go, the way you think
And it takes your heart by storm
Just give it your life
So make sense, make sense, make sense
I
I'm your boss, I'm your baddy I'm your baddie I'm your boss, I'm your baddie I'm your boss, I'm your boss, I'm your baddie I'm your boss
So yeah, bit of give and bowl, yeah