Although 18 out of the 24 participating teams made roster changes before IEM Cologne, G2 Esports was not one of them. Despite a slight decline in form after their victory at IEM Katowice, G2 decided to stick with their current roster and aim for another championship. After their opening victory against Astralis in Cologne, BLIX.gg conducted an interview with HooXi to get his thoughts on the win, recent form, and other team changes.
Q: The match against Astralis was intense, how does it feel to come out on top?
HooXi: It feels great to secure the victory. Lately, we haven’t been winning as much. Our attack on Ancient wasn’t ideal, as we had good preparations but failed to execute during the match. On Nuke, we also encountered some difficulties. We tend to start strong with a 5-1 lead but end the half at 6-9. We definitely need to analyze and figure out what happened.
Q: Astralis has a completely new roster, what are your thoughts on their changes?
HooXi: It’s obviously a whole new team, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Unity is something many value in CS, and G2 has had the same roster for a year now, which I think is an advantage. However, a completely new team also has its advantages, as we don’t have much data to study them. New teams usually have a good atmosphere internally. For us, keeping a roster for a long time is like a marriage; if we don’t perform well in matches, our mood gets worse (laughs). Astralis looks much better than I imagined, especially considering device’s long break from competitive play.
Q: You mentioned the importance of unity within the team, but after this season ends, do you think G2 might make changes?
HooXi: Whether changes will be made depends on the management’s decisions. We have shown our potential at the beginning of the year, and we have the ability to improve team coordination and secure victories. But if roster changes do happen, it won’t be surprising. I’m happy that the management trusts the current roster, and I hope we can prove that in Cologne.
Q: After the Paris Major, the team’s confidence seemed to take a hit, and recently, the contract with mental coach Edward Cleland was terminated. Can you tell me more about that decision?
HooXi: That decision was made by the management, but we did learn a lot from Edward. However, we also need to learn from newcomers. It’s like when a new player joins the team, you might learn some new tactics from them. When Edward first joined the team, we started winning right away after just one match.
Q: The start of the second half of the year wasn’t ideal, but do you feel that your form is improving?
HooXi: This needs more bo3 victories to confirm, but it’s certain that the team is slowly starting to show progress in matches. As a team that heavily relies on form, once we start performing well, no one can stop us.
