After the G2 victory at the IEM Cologne 2023, we briefly spoke with Justin "jks" Savage about their run at the tournament and challenges the champions faced throught the event.
First of all, your results have been quite volatile from an outside perspective, but this trophy will surely help stabilize the roster. Do you now have a better idea of how to stay consistent after Cologne?
I think we have a decent idea, but I honestly think it's just up to the way that we're feeling as a team when we go into the tournament because I feel like every team at the top can compete for the tournament.
Like FaZe had an off-tournament this time, but I feel like next time, they're going to be really on point, for example. So it kind of just depends from tournament to tournament, but I think if we can play as we do now every single tournament, of course, we can make deep runs and stuff like that. I feel like finding consistency is the hardest thing in CSGO, and it's tough with all the teams that are at the top right now. It's like super competitive.
What did ENCE do wrong during the game on Mirage where you showed impeccable defense?
I think we just had a really good game plan against them. I think we knew what they were going to do and I think mid-round and late-round I think NiKo had a lot of really good calls which helped us move around the map on the CT side. When he's playing like that and when he's reading the game like that it's really easy for the people on the outside of the map to play.
NiKo has a really good picture of the game playing in the middle of the map and I think he has incredible game knowledge as well on top of that so when you put those two things together it just makes everyone else on the team play super well when he's calling like that.
After Blast, when everyone dubbed you, how did you bounce back and get into the right mindset? Could you share some insight about working with the new psychologist?
Honestly, it's just about trusting in ourselves and just making sure that we're the best teammates that we can be to each other. In-game, we're committing and sacrificing for each other, and I think when you see that we're playing well.
This is kind of found the way that we want to play CS again, which is the way that we're playing it at the start of the year. And, yeah, like I said, it's just really team-based. And, of course, it helps when individuals are playing well like they are now.
During the tournament, we have seen plenty of impressive new former teams. Can you name a few who impressed you the most?
I think Astralis impressed me quite a lot. I think they've been playing super good considering how such a good new team they are, and they made two roster changes. I think they're going to get a lot better in time, and they are really good, so I expect them to do a lot better at the next few events.
And I think Cloud9, they made playoffs, and they had a substitute for the first group stage, so I mean, just making playoffs with a substitute is really incredible, so I think those two teams are going to be super good soon.
I think NAVI just need more time, Three changes, and they also changed the language, so you make three roster changes and also your language is going to be incredibly difficult at the start. But I think they're already showing good results, and I think they just need more time.
How did you deal with opponents anti-striking you while usually having no benefit due to shuffles?
It gives us a sort of advantage, that we stacked together for so long, and we have more structure and more experience together. Just like you said, they can anti-strating us, we cannot them, so we just had the upper hand here.
What do you have to say to those who think that G2 needs to go through a reshuffle?
I feel like that's their opinion, and that's okay, but it's going to be decided by us. I don't think we need one right now. Surely, we'll see at the end of the year, but ultimately it's up to us.
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