Mauisnake: “The Team Falcons project started out as a failure and will remain one forever.”


Host Duncan “Thorin” Shields and analysts Alexander “kassad” Trifunovic and Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg discussed the prospects of Team Falcons in the latest episode of the Hot Take Point Made podcast, compared the achievements of Robin “ropz” Kolja and Nikola “NiKo” Kovac, and shared their thoughts on Team Liquid’s current situation.
Mauisnake: The Team Falcons project started out as a failure and will remain one forever. I don’t see a scenario in which this team can redeem itself, and I’ll try to explain why. In their first two tournaments with the revamped roster, the team lost in the finals. Looking at PGL Astana, many might rightly point out that Team Spirit was in excellent form and looked like the clear favorite—I won’t argue with that. However, in my view, CAC 2026 was a complete fiasco for the Falcons. The roster started the series well, won a map, and could, in theory, have taken the second one if NiKo had played better in certain moments, but that’s not really the point. I believe the roster will continue to struggle until the organization finally falls apart. Some time ago, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund pulled out of the LIV Golf league, and I suspect a similar fate awaits the esports sector soon. <…>
Thorin: Every time Vitality wins a trophy, the community starts actively discussing ropz’s status as the greatest rifler of all time. This usually sparks a debate where supporters of this view argue with fans who give that title to NiKo. I won’t reignite the discussion, as I’ve done so many times before: the process is tedious and boils down to a mundane listing of each player’s trophies. The problem is that when people say “greatest,” many simultaneously imply “best.” When we called NiKo the greatest rifler of all time, that statement was considered bold and provocative because he hadn’t won a Major. We, however, were essentially asserting that he surpassed many players in his position who had won the main trophy—which is precisely why the claim sounded so bold. If we compare solely based on the number of awards, ropz will undoubtedly outshine anyone, especially given his current run with Vitality.
kassad: I believe it’s time for Team Liquid to disband its CS2 roster and shut down its CS2 division for good. There is no longer a single reason for the organization to continue competing on the professional scene. None of the club’s players have any market value left; they are completely uncompetitive when it comes to individual skills. The roster is currently ranked 40th on the VRS, trailing teams like Nemesis, JijieHao, FOKUS, and Nemiga. If we look at this roster, we won’t see a single esports player who deserves a spot—I’ll say it again—not a single one. If I were handed the reins of this team right now, I would go to management and declare that I intend to make changes. But before that, I would ask who the club would like to keep, and whoever they name, I would kick out first!
Earlier, kassad also assessed Team Falcons’ loss in the CS Asia Championships 2026 Grand Final, discussed its significance for the team, and explained the reason for the backlash against the squad in a video on his personal YouTube channel.
Photo — Adela Sznajder, ESL.