Liquid oSee at ESL Pro League Season 18

Expectations are at all times sky-high for a staff like Liquid. In current occasions, the CS:GO roster has struggled, and its current transfer out of NA has sparked some criticism. Earlier than the staff debuted at ESL Pro League Season 18 Group D with coach daps standing in for Patsi, we spoke with the staff’s AWPer, oSee, to get his ideas on the staff’s possibilities in Malta.

Credit score: Helena Kristiansson | © ESL

With Patsi lacking for the primary recreation at ESL Professional League and doubtlessly past, how do you guys adapt on the fly to conditions like this?

It’s positively powerful. It makes it simpler since we now have YEKINDAR who’s performed in many various roles, so he can slot in. We are able to’t actually put daps in for Patsi as a result of they’ve totally different playstyles. We’re attempting to shift daps into YEKINDAR’s roles in the intervening time, after which YEKINDAR goes again to his previous roles. It’s positively nonetheless powerful since we’ve been practising for a few weeks with the roles that we had – we solely knew in regards to the visa subject about two or three days earlier than we left. Mainly, most of our apply was with these roles, however so long as the opposite gamers have been of their regular roles, performing how they often do. You already know, daps has been a participant earlier than, he’s nonetheless been with the staff and understands how we wish to play and our system. I don’t assume it’s going to be too unhealthy.

It’s been over a month because you guys have been final on LAN. What have been the principle classes realized from Gamers8 and IEM Cologne’s Play-In?

One factor that we seen was that our particular person kind hasn’t been the most effective. We’re nonetheless a reasonably new roster with two new additions. It’s arduous to implement two gamers right into a roster that rapidly. You noticed that in our first couple of video games, we have been in a position to beat some actually good groups. It reveals that we now have the potential there however to have a constant base for beating these sorts of groups, it takes plenty of time to implement them. With time, I believe we’re going to be higher as a staff. But in addition, we’ve proven that our particular person kind hasn’t been on par with the opposite groups, so plenty of us have been taking extra time to verify we’re enjoying the sport extra – deathmatching, aim training, or no matter it’s that helps you keep in kind.

You guys have Virtus.professional up first. How have you ever guys ready for a staff with such a singular type of play?

We’ve ready for them, but it surely’s not too totally different to different groups. I believe YEKINDAR positively has an enormous voice in making ready in opposition to VP since he’s performed with plenty of the gamers, he understands how they assume. Jame is the IGL, and he’s performed beneath him as IGL, as effectively, so… It’s not too totally different from another staff.

Credit score: Stephanie Lindgren | © BLAST

If you happen to make it via, you get to leap straight into the Playoffs. With the opposite three Teams having just a little break in between, do you assume this advantages you guys in any respect?

Actually, there’s execs and cons to it. I believe Group C, it kinda sucks for them since you don’t have time to essentially change stuff. It’s a must to play kinda quickly so that you’re simply ready I really feel like. However for Group A and Group B I believe a bonus they’ve is that they’ll take a look at their video games and the way they performed within the Group Stage, see issues they tousled on, see what they need to change, add new stuff. A con of it’s that gamers will likely be much less warmed up, not be in that match state. Like, for Group D, for us, we received’t have a lot time to vary stuff, however I believe we’re gonna be feeling very warmed up for the match environments. It’s a complete totally different atmosphere being in a match than like, scrims, so with the ability to play proper after a Group Stage retains you mentally ‘in it’ and mechanically at your finest. I believe for our staff it’s truly a profit.

What would you describe as exhibiting for Liquid coming into Season 18 of ESL Professional League?

It’s powerful to say now, since we now have the stand-in. Making Playoffs and successful no less than one recreation in Playoffs, I’d say. At least, it’s one thing we’d be kinda okay with. Clearly, our objective is to nonetheless win the entire thing – we’ve been practising for some time, however I believe like I stated with the stand-in and stuff… that’s what we should always no less than attending to for my part.