Team Liquid have dealt with a lot of adversity this year after failing to win the StarLadder Berlin Major.
Roster
Nicholas "nitr0" Cannella (1.03)
Honestly, nitr0 has performed at about what an IGL is expected to in 2019 frag wise, but his impact as an AWPer and shot-caller has been sub-par. He's a solid budget option for fantasy team owners, but his days of taking over games with the AWP are behind him.
Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski (1.22)
EliGE's Starcraft aim has helped keep Liquid's head above water as he has been one of the main sources of firepower on the squad. All of his maps at BLAST Copenhagen produced positive HLTV ratings for the star player, and one could blame his early adoption of the SG for that success. EliGE is a certified fantasy stud if you want to build a high performing team around the American prodigy.
Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken (1.10)
Twistzz has the best headshot percentage on the team and has been a relatively reliable contributor to the team's success. He had one negative map at BLAST Copenhagen (10-16 loss to Astralis), and the rest were absolutely scorchers. Twistzz looks like a fantastic fantasy option for Pro League finals and should be one of Liquid's keys to success if they want the trophy.
Keith "NAF" Markovic (1.14)
NAF has been solid, but forgettable the past few months. A five-time event MVP, NAF has been relatively invisible on the post-Berlin Liquid. His good HLTV rating will make him an expensive fantasy option so be mindful when building a team around him.
Jacky "Stewie2k" Yip (1.07)
Stewie has been a vital addition to Team Liquid, and while his numbers are fine his impact on the server has been minimal. Stewie was brought on to be an aggressive X-factor, but Liquid has had issues closing out games and showing any form of aggression against high-level opponents.
Recent Form
Online:
Liquid 2 - 1 ATK (ECS) Liquid 2 - 0 INTZ (ECS) Liquid 2 - 0 BAT (ECS) Liquid 0 - 2 Sharks (ECS)
Offline:
BLAST Copenhagen (5th)
EPL S10 (1st-4th)
DreamHack Masters Malmo 2019 (9th--12th)
ESL One NYC (3rd-4th)
Potential for Success
Team Liquid have a lot of individual talent, but they have been unable to put everything together recently. Between lack of aggressive calls and disappointing placements, Liquid fans have to be feeling worried about the team's potential. Still, the meta is in a weird spot right now and the field is wide open.
Pending on the final eight other teams attending EPL Season 10, Liquid are among the favorites to win the trophy. As long as Liquid aren't flying into the event, look for them to lean on ElIGE and Twistzz for firepower to shoot through teams.
Written By:Ezekiel Carsella@jamaican116