Recently, NAVI's sniper, Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov, has come under significant scrutiny due to inconsistent performances and struggles against top-tier opponents. Many fans are calling for a roster change, citing his weaknesses as detrimental to NAVI's overall success. However, making a mid-season change may not be the right decision. Here, we discuss why NAVI should hold onto w0nderful, at least until the end of the season, and explore potential solutions to improve his performance.

Current struggles

w0nderful is currently NAVI's weakest player. He often looks uncertain, makes frequent mistakes, and struggles greatly under pressure, particularly against stronger opponents. His recent performances have left many fans disappointed, especially considering his role as a main sniper. In the last three months, w0nderful’s individual rating stands at 6.3, with only Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen showing worse performance within the team.

Problems against stronger opponents

Even though his rating appears acceptable for a sniper at first glance, much of his success comes from playing against weaker opponents. When facing tougher teams in crucial matches, w0nderful tends to disappear. Fans still remember his disappointing performance during the IEM Cologne 2024 final against Vitality. On Mirage, he had multiple opportunities to make a difference but couldn't deliver, resulting in NAVI’s painful loss.

A big issue with w0nderful is his inability to handle pressure. When games get tough, especially against elite opponents, he visibly struggles emotionally and mentally. Cameras often capture him looking tense and withdrawn, clearly impacted by the stress of big matches. This affects his decision-making and overall confidence, resulting in costly mistakes.

Map performance and consistency issues

Despite his struggles, there have been positive signs. He improved significantly on problematic maps like Dust2 and Mirage, which used to be major weaknesses. Currently, Dust2 is one of his strongest maps. However, this improvement coincided with declining performances on other important maps, notably Nuke and Inferno, where he's been performing poorly in 2025. This lack of consistency across different maps remains a serious problem for NAVI.

Online vs. LAN performance

His best tournament this year was the online stage of BLAST Bounty Spring 2025, which again raises concerns. Top-tier players are expected to perform at their best in LAN events, where w0nderful has failed repeatedly. He tends to perform worse as the strength of opponents increases. Matches against top-5 ranked teams have consistently resulted in disappointing performances. His struggles were particularly noticeable in multiple games against Spirit, where even in a victorious match, his individual contribution was minimal.

Here are his ratings against top teams this year:

• 5.5 vs Spirit at BLAST Bounty;
• 5.8 vs Spirit at IEM Katowice 2025;
• 6.8 vs The MongolZ at IEM Katowice 2025;
• 5.5 vs Spirit at IEM Katowice 2025;
• 6.8 vs G2 at ESL Pro League Season 21;
• 6.8 vs The MongolZ at ESL Pro League Season 21.

NAVI’s systematic approach

Despite these issues, NAVI is a team built around systematic play and long-term development. Historically, Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi does not favor mid-season roster changes, as he believes in consistency and long-term player growth. The current NAVI roster will likely remain unchanged until the end of the major cycle. They qualified for playoffs at ESL Pro League Season 21, which suggests any immediate changes would be premature.

If w0nderful’s performance continues to decline, NAVI does have replacement options after the major. Young talents like Nikita "cmtry" Samolyotov from NAVI Junior have shown promise recently, and Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev remains on the bench with a contract until the year’s end. Furthermore, NAVI is a highly attractive team for top talent, partly due to the opportunity to work with coach B1ad3.

Possible solutions to support w0nderful

What can NAVI do to support w0nderful right now? One effective approach could be giving him more freedom and confidence to play aggressively, as he did during his peak form last year. Aggressive, confident play previously allowed him to impact rounds positively, contributing greatly to NAVI’s successes. Currently, his overly cautious playstyle suggests he is afraid of making mistakes, ironically leading to more errors and team losses.

A tournament victory or strong performance might significantly boost his confidence. Additionally, working closely with a sports psychologist could help address his mental struggles. NAVI has successfully supported struggling players before. A notable example is Mihai "iM" Ivan, who was heavily criticized after PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 win last year but steadily improved over time, becoming one of NAVI’s most consistent and reliable players today.

In conclusion, NAVI shouldn’t kick w0nderful just yet. Stability and support, combined with targeted psychological help and confidence-building strategies, might help him overcome his current struggles. Patience and systematic support could transform w0nderful from a liability into a strong asset for NAVI.