NA’s celebrity rifler, EliGE discusses M4A1-S nerf, Anubis replace and BLAST Premier World Finals on this unique interview.
Ever because the addition of Latvian star Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis, Workforce Liquid has returned to the highest of CS. Carrying the hopes of North America, the staff has constantly made top-4s at each occasion besides the Main. Earlier than the ultimate occasion of the yr, BLAST Premier World Finals, we sat down with EliGE to debate the yr thus far and their expectations for the occasion.
Arnav “xL” Shukla: Let’s first speak concerning the yr as an entire. The primary didn’t fairly work out with the Shox lineup. However with YEKINDAR coming in, the staff has regarded nice regardless of the most important outcome. Are you enthusiastic about 2023 and sticking to this roster going ahead?
EliGE: Yeah, 100%. I’m actually excited for 2023. I feel that, particularly within the final couple of months, there was a very good give attention to precisely what to work on. Particularly for me individually, I do know precisely what I must work on to love get again to the following stage.
I do know precisely what must be achieved. It’s simply that there must be a while now to have the ability to get to it. Loads of work must occur to get to the extent that most individuals anticipate. And I feel that it’s a fairly easy line of what to do, it’s nearly getting it achieved, and I’m actually excited for that.
xL: So, you’ll clearly have extra time within the participant break now. Do you assume this staff could be at a Championship stage?
EliGE: I feel so, yeah. I feel we’re already near it. We have been high 5-10 for the second half of the yr, so we are able to beat any staff for certain. There’s no staff we’re actually petrified of taking part in, like the place we get them in a matchup, and we’re like, oh god, what are we gonna do?
Clearly, some groups are gonna match up higher map pool-wise, however we don’t really feel like we’re incapable of profitable. So it’s a fairly excessive stage of confidence going into these video games, however we all know there’s quite a lot of work to be achieved to be a championship staff.
xL: There have been a bunch of strikes this yr the place a single participant change has made a big effect on the staff. Do you assume it’s simply due to firepower upgrades or different components like position steadiness?
EliGE: I feel, basically, there are such a lot of the explanation why including a single participant can have such an enormous distinction. One in all them is staff chemistry. Simply having the ability to elevate that and put everybody into snug positions. Even just like the social facet, if that man may be very charismatic and is ready to lead issues within the staff in a manner that may profit everybody and may make individuals extra snug.
The obvious is roles. In case you decide up somebody that matches your position and is an effective participant, then you definitely’re gonna see an enormous distinction from that one addition.
xL: Might you give some ideas on oSee’s progress this yr?
EliGE: I’d say Josh [oSee] has had fairly linear progress. He first began stepping into tier 1 this yr. Clearly, he was taking part in in Additional Salt and Cloud9 earlier than, the place he’d play towards high groups right here and there. However while you’re taking part in towards them constantly, that’s while you’re gonna see the true progress.
Trigger it is advisable play towards the highest groups constantly and refine your course of and enhance your understanding of recreation information and recreation sense. And I feel all of the expertise has helped him loads and make clear what he has to work on. It’s been actually good for his growth, and I’ve seen quite a lot of that this yr.
xL: Thus far within the second half, we’ve seen constant high 4s from the roster aside from the most important. So coming into this occasion, are these the expectations for the occasion?
EliGE: We don’t actually set expectations for the outcomes. It’s extra about ensuring we’re taking part in in addition to we are able to. It’s extra about expectations inside maps, what we’ve labored on, what we’re acquainted with and executing these issues correctly. Personally, I’d undoubtedly say I need to make it out of teams. It is a huge occasion. It’d be a very nice send-off after not doing as properly on the main, so 100% that’s my private aim, nevertheless it’s not one thing we’ve mentioned as a staff.
We have now excessive expectations for the staff. We got here to Cologne with Yekindar and had good outcomes. We needed to maintain constructing on that and going increased and better. It’s clearly not as reasonable for us to be immediately leaping as much as that type, so now we do have elevated expectations due to that and due to how our outcomes have been.
xL: Speaking about your map pool now, what are your ideas on Anubis and the way’s apply been going?
EliGE: I feel Anubis is basically enjoyable, and I feel it’s manner higher than historic and vertigo after they got here out. I’m actually having fun with it. It’s been tremendous enjoyable. After all, I hope Valve be sure that they hold updating it. Trigger I really feel like they kinda forgot about Historic for some time, solely making little bug modifications. Clearly, the temple modified, and A website and mid, however I hope that with Anubis, they hold refining and fixing issues, particularly issues like issues with clipping. I feel it’s undoubtedly far more full than vertigo was when it acquired added.
xL: You’re well-known for having nice management of the spray, so now that the M4A4 is again within the meta, have you ever converted already?
EliGE: Yeah, I assumed I used to be gonna be taking part in the A1-s nonetheless, however I placed on the A4 and instantly I felt like, dude, that is so significantly better. You may make so many performs occur with the A4. It’s truly loopy. I feel that as quickly as individuals see the kind of stuff that you are able to do with the A4, just like the spray transfers. After all, you may spray switch with the A1, however the time-to-kill is a lot increased.
Especially if you’re over 500 units, it’s so much higher, and most fights, especially for me, are over 500 units. So I’ve been enjoying it so much. I’ve had so many easy kills and spray transfers. It’s really clean. I have been having a lot more fun with this update. Obviously, I could have played the M4A4 before, but I’m gonna obviously play whichever’s optimal.
xL: For this event, do you have a particular opponent that will be tough to beat?
EliGE: I don’t really think that there’s a particular opponent that’s way harder than the others. Of course, we’re playing outsiders, who just won the major, so they should be the hardest team. But every single team here is really, really good, and there’s not like one team that’s dominating everyone. Anyone that’s at this event is a really top-tier team, so I’d just say everyone’s gonna be a hard opponent here.
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