NEO interview: Although it's difficult, FaZe has hope to regain form

Q: Congratulations on your 2-0 victory in Cologne, securing your first win. Considering the team's recent form, was this victory very important for you?

In my opinion, this victory is very important. We have been working hard to regain our form. Additionally, the atmosphere around the team hasn't been perfect, and many people stopped believing in us at certain times. There was a time when everyone thought we could make it to the finals every time, but then our performance started to decline. Following that was the player break, and we couldn't come back strong after the break. But this is a continuous effort, and we have always been working hard, so winning this match is really important.

Q: You mentioned that many people no longer believe in FaZe, but can you still see that belief in the players? Or is it hard to judge considering the recent results?

A: I would say that not long ago, we were at the top of CS. But there are so many top CS teams, and the competition is very fierce. However, you can catch up quickly. How many months has it been now? So, not much has changed drastically. Although it's not easy to regain form nowadays, as CS changes every day, it's not impossible, especially in a team like FaZe. The players have the ability to play extremely well in CS. What we need is to connect them together. As I said, we are putting in more work. This is just the first match, let's see how the upcoming matches go.

Q: Let's talk about this BO3. Liquid picked Mirage, possibly seeing your recent struggles on this map. But you had repeated success at point A as attackers. As for Nuke, your defense was outstanding.

A: Nuke is our most frequently chosen map. We had considered picking other maps, but this time it made more sense to choose it. In fact, we were surprised by their choice of Mirage, as we thought it was unlikely. So, we played two very good maps. Sometimes we perform exceptionally well on these two maps, just like today.

Additionally, the team performed very well today. It wasn't like one person was carrying the team; everyone stepped up at certain times. We had good communication and energy. Despite some mistakes during the match, we still won. The key is who makes fewer mistakes, and this time, we won with fewer mistakes.

Q: Anubis was the most played map during the qualifiers, but you guys barely play it. What about the future? Will you try this map?

A: We have been practicing for a long time. There are different opinions within the team about this map, but I really hope someone will eventually pick it because I believe we can play very well on it. This time we banned it, so Liquid couldn't play it. But maybe next time we'll have a chance.

Q: After being eliminated from the BLAST group stage, you only had a week to prepare. In a pre-match interview, karrigan mentioned that you are trying to make changes, establish a new foundation and style. How do you think the current FaZe differs from the previous FaZe?

A： If you look at it from different angles, I think this is a mix of old and new FaZe, because some things have been resolved. karrigan is an experienced player and full of wisdom, he has been through tough times, but he has stood up again. So he knows how to handle these situations. Of course, in the past few weeks and even months, we have also encountered some difficulties. But as I said, we have been working hard, trying to find solutions to problems. Usually, the problems are more than one. So we just try to work together, connect with each other, and solve all the problems.

Q: What do you think about Russel Van Dulken | Twistzz taking on the role of captain? And what about the current Liquid lineup?

A： He actually always had the qualities of a captain. In fact, many star players are like this, they help with the command during the game. Twistzz used to give instructions to the team when he was in FaZe, so I know he has the ability to take on the role of captain. Moreover, he has a deep understanding of the game, and with personal growth and experience, I think some star players can transition to being captains at some point. This is also the best time for Twistzz to transition, as Liquid has been struggling under the command of cadiaN .

Now under the command of Twistzz, Liquid seems to be performing great. Twistzz is very smart, and their lineup is also good, so I am not surprised by their performance. Additionally, I am happy to see a Polish player ( ultimate ) in the Liquid lineup, cheering for them. They are all great people.

Q: What is your goal for this Cologne event?

A： Outside of the Major, I think Katowice and Cologne are the top targets for every team. Especially with the current Grand Slam situation, Cologne is even more important. Our goal is to do our best, perform at our best, and strive for the championship.