Liquid NAF at ESL Professional League Season 19 – “We have to begin exhibiting outcomes”

Staff Liquid’s NAF is Counter-Strike’s Mr. Constant. Having been a continuing on the roster since 2018, NAF has seen all of it with Liquid, with a 2019 Intel Grand Slam win being his peak achievement.

We have been fortunate sufficient to talk with NAF previous to the start of Liquid’s Group C run at ESL Professional League Season 19, bringing a ton of fascinating perception into the staff because it stands proper now.

Daniel Morris: Final day trip on LAN at IEM Chengdu 2024 was most likely the most effective exhibiting that we’ve seen from this Liquid roster to date.

What have you ever guys been engaged on to just remember to hold making good progress?

NAF: So clearly, identical to you talked about with Chengdu, I believe that was end result for us. We’re actually completely satisfied regardless that we positively felt like we perhaps may have gone ahead with how shut we have been capable of play FaZe. However then once more, shedding to FaZe within the Playoffs within the area is nothing to be ashamed about. In fact, we have been actually pleased with what we bought carried out in Chengdu.

NAF: Sadly, after we went again to Los Angeles, all of us needed to play the qualifier for the EWC. That was disappointing, not with the ability to qualify and shedding to M80. We simply strive not to consider that. That was a web based occasion, now we’re again at a LAN occasion and you already know, we’re actually assured, particularly with the group that we’ve got. We’re feeling assured, we’re all working onerous to enhance upon our losses and you already know, simply transfer ahead. Proper now, the fanbase for Liquid and the criticizers positively have quite a bit to go off by way of our disappointments. In fact, we need to search for issues that folks can discuss extremely about, on the subject of us right here at Liquid. Yeah, we’re excited, we’re able to play and we wanna simply present face.

Daniel Morris: Simply concerning a type of of these disappointments. Clearly, you didn’t qualify for the Main.

How did you guys bounce again from that mentally?

NAF: In fact, shedding and never qualifying for the Main was very disappointing. The final time I missed a Main was in 2017, so, you already know, clearly as a participant, it sucks. Financially, by way of stickers, and all that for gamers, and for the organizations it’s crucial. Particularly for the orgs, on the subject of cash and income, and, you already know, return on funding. I used to be very dissatisfied in myself, for my teammates and for my group.

So yeah, finally it simply sucked. On the finish of the day, you simply want to maneuver ahead. Fortunately with CS, it’s very forgiving, there’s a number of redemption that you could search for, there’s loads of occasions in comparison with different video games. Say for instance, like Valorant, there’s an absence of video games, lack of occasions. In the event you do find yourself shedding on the last hurdles of massive occasions it’s a must to wait some time, so fortunately with CS there’s much more occasions to redeem your self in. We’re nonetheless transferring ahead, we’re nonetheless doing our greatest to adapt and enhance. Although going from occasion to occasion so shut to one another, it may be onerous. However yeah, we’re excited to play right here at Professional League.

Credit score: IEM on X.

Daniel Morris: You’re by far the longest-standing member on the present Liquid roster. You clearly see a younger man like skullz are available from a South American staff into a very new setting.

With being on Liquid for therefore lengthy, did you are feeling like there was any additional duty in your shoulders to assist him adapt faster, and if that’s the case, how did you are taking up that duty?

NAF: For essentially the most half, I’m fairly to myself. Truthfully, I’ve three very vocal gamers that like to precise how issues must be performed, how roles must be performed with YEKINDAR, cadiaN, and Twistzz. They’ve loads of enter. In fact, I believe skullz took loads of my roles that I used to be enjoying earlier than as a lurker. I’ll have my opinions there however on the identical time, he was already doing issues that he loved in his roles when he was enjoying at paiN.

I believe, skullz, he’s a really assured participant by way of his talents and his mind-set in regards to the sport. I don’t wanna like, criticize him, or you already know, throw him off web page. Typically, particularly with younger gamers and extra inexperienced gamers, from what I’ve realized previously, you kinda simply wanna let the participant play the best way they wanna play. In fact, you’ll be able to share concepts and say what issues have been carried out from expertise of enjoying previously. So yeah, I share a couple of tidbits, however my teammates, the three vocal ones, they often have loads of issues to say. The very last thing I wanna do is inform him extra issues! For essentially the most half, for me, I’m simply specializing in my sport and the issues I ought to do. If I really feel like one thing is flawed and nobody’s saying it, then in fact, I’ll share my opinion.

Daniel Morris: It’s FURIA up first for Liquid at ESL Professional League. They bought the higher of you guys on the RMR, however they’ve had a giant roster change in benching arT.

What are you anticipating to see from them in your matchup?

NAF: Going into our first matchup versus FURIA, it’s clearly very fascinating. As you talked about they did exchange arT, who was their main in-game chief. Now, FalleN is IGL, and naturally, for me, I’ve performed on a staff the place FalleN was IGLing as effectively. I’ve some kind of an perception or understanding for the best way he likes to name. It’s very thrilling; I like Gabriel as an individual and as a participant; it’s all the time good to play a fellow pal and ex-teammate.

Credit score: PGL

NAF: I’m fairly assured; it’s all the time powerful to vary a participant, that participant being your IGL, so meaning the system considerably modifications. In fact, they’ve had prior expertise with FalleN – I’m certain IGLing and sharing loads of his concepts even when arT was on the staff. I’ve my historical past with him, so I’m certain I’ve some issues and a few tendencies to count on and clearly I can share with my staff the best way I imagine he’ll take into consideration the sport. For us, right here at Liquid, we have to begin exhibiting outcomes, so hopefully we will come out of the gates swinging and provides us some confidence going additional into the occasion. We’re excited to play, and we’ve simply gotta see how the playing cards fall – we’ll simply wait and see.

Daniel Morris: Relating that want for outcomes…

What would you contemplate to be a robust end result for Liquid this time round?

NAF: I might positively say that we have to at the very least attain Playoffs. My private objective… I’m undecided; my teammates would possibly really feel the identical, however, I might at the very least say like a prime 6 could be actually good. In fact, a prime 8 would really feel good.

I believe we want like a prime 6 or prime 4, someplace in that vary. It’s crucial for our personal expectations, our personal outcomes and our personal psychological capability with the quantity of shedding that we’ve needed to take care of.

It’s additionally crucial for factors. With the modifications that we made to the staff, we misplaced all our factors with Liquid. As lots of people have seen, it’s been a wrestle for us to regain factors. On the subject of the factors system and the ESL circuit, it’s crucial. The upper the inserting, the best way higher it’s for us, by way of invitations – simply to get the stress off our backs.

Credit score: IEM on X.

Daniel Morris: I wished to get your opinion on the brand new map pool, too.

Mud 2 in for Overpass, what’s your take?

NAF: Me, personally, I’m not an enormous fan of it, as a result of I didn’t actually like Mud 2. I believe it’s a really boring map to play. It’s kinda tough to have so many maps that in my view which are like, kinda tough. There’s Vertigo, there’s Anubis, regardless that I do know Anubis is a brand new map. I really feel like there’s loads of modifications, particularly the B bombsite on Anubis that must be modified. Vertigo hasn’t been modified in ceaselessly, so there’s nothing new in regards to the map. Purpose fights and all which are simply very boring. You just about simply hope for the most effective that you just do win your fights at Ramp or win your fights popping at B.

Now you’ve got Mud 2, the place you’re simply going to be doing the identical outdated repetitive sh*t. You’re both… you’ve got spawns for Lengthy, you’re taking Lengthy. You have got spawns for B, perhaps you do a B-rush. You haven’t any spawns? Okay, you’re taking Cat management you then’re making a choice: are we splitting B or splitting A? It’s simply the identical repetitive rubbish.

The truth that they don’t usher in like a brand new map, or one of many higher outdated maps they used to have within the pool, like Practice, or Cobble… in fact they ruined Cobble with some updates and it’s simply been in a graveyard, fully. However there’s Cache, there’s Cobble, there’s Practice. There are method higher maps that they may very well be choosing from. I’m certain they’re going off statistics by way of informal  play. I believe I learn someplace that Overpass was one of many lowest-picked maps in matchmaking. If that’s what they’re going primarily based off of, then certain, they’ll cater to the casuals. If that’s the best way it’s, that’s the best way it’s. By way of the competitiveness… I’ve to say my opinion, I believe it’s most likely the worst map pool in my total CS profession to be sincere. We simply should stay with it, and play with it, be professionals on the finish of the day and yeah, simply carry on going.

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