Counter Strike has always seen a few dominant teams at the top. Initially we saw teams such as NIP reign supreme, but over the years we have had eras of Fnatic, SK dominance. While there have been other teams showing up in between, these so called eras have defined the history of CS GO as we know it.

One team that has always been in the shadows, lurking just behind the World No. 1 team(s) has been the Danish Astralis roster. The player owned roster, has been consistent over extended periods of time.

In this article we focus on the two teams who have held fort at the top for much of 2017. SK & Astralis are two teams which have been winning tournaments and making it to the finals of big tournaments regularly. Of late however it seems the teams have not been in the same form. While SK Gaming have seen a definite lull in their form, Astralis is struggling in a similar manner.

SK Gaming

SK Gaming have been a small shadow of their former selves. The Brazilian squad have had a very decorated first half of 2017 wherein they have won multiple premier tournaments. With their dominance extending from the Majors to almost all the big tournaments, SK Gaming still exert a commanding lead in the HLTV rankings. They sit comfortably on the top despite having a weak past few months. Post the player break, however the team’s results and form have both taken a dive for the worst.

The biggest change for the team has been the absence of Coldzera in their matches. Coldzera is by far one of the best players in 2017. There is an unanimous agreement on his effectiveness for the SK roster amongst analysts. His performance has ensured the teams position at the top of several rankings on a consistent basis. Coldzera has a very unique style of playing CS GO, one which might seem bizarre to many but is definitely effective. While his positioning and movement within the game seem baffling to the viewer’s eye, he has consistently been able to make these moves an advantage for him. This advantage comes naturally from his superior aim and firepower. He has been known to shut down entire opposition single handedly. His poor performances in the last few tournaments have definitely had an impact on SK’s results.

Recent Results

3rd ESG Mykonos 2017

3rd ESL One New York 2017

Group Stage Eleague CS GO Premier.

Coldzera still makes similar aggressive high risk moves in game, but they are not always successful. His “high risk high reward” plays have now become “High risk High Loss” for the team. This is not to take anything away from the player himself who even on his worst days remains amongst the top half of the scoreboard. But his “average performance” does not provide as much space to his fellow team mates as before.

SK Gaming is not all about Coldzera. Each individual player on the roster has shown amazing performances in the past and have been the “stars” of the team. With Fallen being the constant stabilising factor for the team, they have relied heavily on fer, Taco to provide the firepower. Fallen’s short range AWP style is a unique but very effective type of AWPing. He has been one of the best AWPers in CS GO on a regular basis.

The Current form of SK gaming is actually appalling. They look uncoordinated and it seems player communication is at an all time low. We do still see individual performances by each player, but the team as whole seems to be faltering. They failed to make it past much weaker teams in the few tournaments post the player break. Their recent loss to Heroic in a Best of Three definitely comes as a big surprise. Heroic were the definite underdogs within the Group. SK gaming, “The Fallen Champions” have a lot introspection to do if they want to maintain their lead over other teams.

Astralis

The Danish team has always been near the top of competitive Counter Strike. Back from the Dignitas days, these players have been a force to reckon with and have consistenly poked at the top teams at any given time. Over the years, the Danish organisation formed by the players has developed into a professional organisation. They focus not only on the economic aspect of the team but also on maintaining the players health, their mental confidence amongst other things. Most notable was their decision to use the services of esports psychologist Mia Stellberg.

The team consists of several superstars. The entry frag capability of Dupreeh coupled with Device ( who poses a serious challenge to the best player in the world title) make this team a close contender for the best team in the world. Astralis’ advantage lies in their firepower coupled with their very deep map pool. The team is extremely talented and has a very strong map pool compared to their peers. They do have their own strong and weak maps, but they are equally proficient on their weaker maps as well.

In addition to this, they have some really innovative tactics and they are not shy to use these against their opponents. It’s not uncommon to watch Astralis trying to triple fake a play. Most of the time such players work, but it’s been seeing a lot less success recently. As with SK Gaming, the biggest advantage for Astralis had been their firepower. With multiple members of the team continuously being in form, the Astralis roster looked unbeatable.The recent slump however has definitely hit them hard. While it’s not a dire situation for the Astralis team, they still need to work on their performance. Confidence in one’s ability is something that is extremely important at the professional level in Counter Strike. It is this confidence that the Astralis team needs to regain in order to exert their dominance.

The Danes have always been known for their exceptional CT Sides. A few years ago, it was not uncommon to watch the Danish roster put up one of the best CT sides only to fall flat on their faces on the Terrorist side. During this time, they have perfected their terrorist side. Repeatedly getting the entry frags and playing in an advantageous situation from there has become a trademark for Astralis. Astralis have one of strongest T sides on Overpass and that is what makes them the best team on the Map.

Recently the team has not been able to perform well. While they have not relaly played as many tournaments as SK Gaming post the major, their performance still leaves a lot to be desired.

Recent results

3rd at PGL Krakow Major

5-6th at ESL One New York 2017

Most of their losses seem to have been close matches against exceptionally strong teams. Faze and Liquid are definitely the flavors of this season with better performances every tournament. Check out our article about the two teams who are the rising challengers in CSGO. It’s not really a surprise to see Astralis losing to Liquid and Faze.

In their most recent LAN tournament, the Eleague CS GO Premiere Astralis crushed their opponents. Not only did this signal a return of their confidence, but the team showed signs of revival. It was obvious that the failings of the previous tournaments was taking a toll on the team’s mental health. But the team psychologist in Mia Stellberg helped a lot. The team still looks confident and are willing to make risky plays.

Really good performance today from the team. Satisfied! Still work to do but it was great with some success! Winners of @ELEAGUETV Group D✌🏻 — Peter Rothmann (@dupreehCSGO) September 30, 2017

These two teams form a strong pair at the top of Counterstrike. However with the recent tournaments, it seems we are in for a fall in grace for the teams. With teams like Liquid and Faze threatening to overtake them, it is going to take a return to form for the two teams to stay on top. Do you think Astralis & SK can remain on top for long? Or will teams such as Liquid, Faze or even a NaVi can unsettle them. Let us know in comments.