Image
Credit:



The ESL Pro League strikes again, as the two favorites to make it out of Group B are on the brink of elimination.

Vitality and FaZe had probably expected today’s matchup to be the decider for the group win. the fact that they are actually playing to stray alive in the group, once again proves how volatile EPL can be.

A loss for FaZe means immediate elimination, while Vitality would have to hope for a miracle if they end up losing today.

A humbling experience

Source

The higher they rise, the harder they fall.

Just a few weeks after stunning everyone by winning IEM Katowice, FaZe Clan once again has its feet on the ground.

The opening day loss against ENCE can be put down to adjusting to a new event, something NAVI historically struggled with, but the Outsiders game has no excuses.

Finn “Karrigan” Andersen has been very vocal about setting the absolute top as his objective, which he reached in Katowice.

Now comes the hard part, with which FaZe seems to struggle so far: staying on top.

A painful adjustment

Source

Vitality took a big risk in transitioning their roster to an English-speaking core. While it gave them the chance to bring in some of the Astralis members, it meant that the old players would have to adjust.

The French are not exactly known for their English proficiency. While the French Vitality players can certainly speak the language, it will take them considerably more effort to master the fast pace communication competition takes.

The struggles are personified by Kevin “misutaa” Rabier. The young rifler had a strong end to last year but has hit a slump ever since the switch to English.

This can be partially put down to the integration of the new players demanding adjustment in roles.

But his slump proves that he’ll need extra time adjusting the new “new normal”.

While Josse van Dessel covers a variety of topics ranging from FIFA esports competitions to professional chess matches, his greatest emphasis is on the world of Counter-Strike, where he covers the title's biggest events and its latest roster moves. Josse also covers local market news in his native Netherlands.