amazingxkcd Profile Blog Joined September 2010 GRAND OLD AMERICA 15736 Posts Last Edited: 2016-08-24 18:45:13 #1 Storied History



Polish Counter-Strike fans have spent most of 2016 reeling from the slew of disappointing performances coming out of the country's legendary Virtus.pro. The new year has not been kind to loyal Poles, who've looked more lost than ever on the battlefield, even with veterans Filip “NEO” Kubski and Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas, who have remained elite members of the Polish scene since the Golden Five eras. Jarosław “pasha” Jarząbkowski would join a later iteration of that legendary lineup (under Frag eXecutors) and form the three-man core that would put and keep Poland on the map in Global Offensive. To round out the existing backbone of VP, young guns Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski and Paweł “byali” Bieliński were added to the roster, cementing the only lineup that would carry the Polish flag into the highest level of international competition. As a longstanding tier-one team in CS:GO, Virtus.pro won the very second major, IEM Katowice 2014, and remained a top-three team for much of the game's history. The powerful bond between the golden trio of NEO, TaZ, and pasha has kept them together through a number of different 1.6 rosters, and has now kept the existing VP lineup together for well over two years. It's no secret that this personal connection has been a massive factor in the team's success—a strong friendship between teammates is certainly conducive to strong teamplay and clear communication.



Polish Counter-Strike fans have spent most of 2016 reeling from the slew of disappointing performances coming out of the country's legendaryVirtus.pro. The new year has not been kind to loyal Poles, who've looked more lost than ever on the battlefield, even with veteransFilip “NEO” Kubski andWiktor “TaZ” Wojtas, who have remained elite members of the Polish scene since the Golden Five eras.Jarosław “pasha” Jarząbkowski would join a later iteration of that legendary lineup (under Frag eXecutors) and form the three-man core that would put and keep Poland on the map in Global Offensive. To round out the existing backbone of VP, young gunsJanusz “Snax” Pogorzelski andPaweł “byali” Bieliński were added to the roster, cementing the only lineup that would carry the Polish flag into the highest level of international competition. As a longstanding tier-one team in CS:GO, Virtus.pro won the very second major, IEM Katowice 2014, and remained a top-three team for much of the game's history. The powerful bond between the golden trio of NEO, TaZ, and pasha has kept them together through a number of different 1.6 rosters, and has now kept the existing VP lineup together for well over two years. It's no secret that this personal connection has been a massive factor in the team's success—a strong friendship between teammates is certainly conducive to strong teamplay and clear communication. The Great Depression

Unfortunately, if there's ever been a time to question this lineup and their loyalty to both the organization and each other, it's now. VP have hit what appears to be the biggest slump in their career, starting off 2016 with an abysmal 8-23 map record, heading into MLG Columbus looking their absolute worst. The stats for this year tell that prospects for VP are low in the upcoming major—only one of eight map wins in 2016 had their opponent losing the game with less than 11 rounds (16-9 over E-Frag). Their first event of the year, DreamHack Leipzig, ended in disaster when the Polish squad was destroyed by mousesports right off the bat, then eliminated by Dignitas immediately after. Following that disappointing outing, VP lost the first eight of their online matches in ESL Pro League, and currently stand at a record of 2-15 for the season. In Katowice this year they were able to squeak by in groups with narrow victories over nV, who were also in a considerable slump at the time, and FaZe. However, the firm hand of the Swedes in Fnatic swiftly sent the Poles packing in the first round of bracket play. Across the board, we see horrendous performances by VP which seem almost impossible for a team possessing as much skill and experience as they do. This slump feels more like a depression; Virtus.pro are nothing short directionless in their play. Once a true powerhouse of clean executes and coordinated brute strength, the Polish legends seem to have lost not only their footing, but their whole identity as a team. Their play is no longer defined or stylistic, VP are dipping their toes in the waters of many different styles, searching for a new approach to the game that will suddenly click. In 2016, Virtus.pro are masters of none.



Unfortunately, if there's ever been a time to question this lineup and their loyalty to both the organization and each other, it's now. VP have hit what appears to be the biggest slump in their career, starting off 2016 with an abysmal 8-23 map record, heading into MLG Columbus looking their absolute worst. The stats for this year tell that prospects for VP are low in the upcoming major—only one of eight map wins in 2016 had their opponent losing the game with less than 11 rounds (16-9 over E-Frag). Their first event of the year, DreamHack Leipzig, ended in disaster when the Polish squad was destroyed bymousesports right off the bat, then eliminated by Dignitas immediately after. Following that disappointing outing, VP lost the first eight of their online matches in ESL Pro League, and currently stand at a record of 2-15 for the season. In Katowice this year they were able to squeak by in groups with narrow victories over nV, who were also in a considerable slump at the time, and FaZe. However, the firm hand of the Swedes inFnatic swiftly sent the Poles packing in the first round of bracket play. Across the board, we see horrendous performances by VP which seem almost impossible for a team possessing as much skill and experience as they do. This slump feels more like a depression; Virtus.pro are nothing short directionless in their play. Once a true powerhouse of clean executes and coordinated brute strength, the Polish legends seem to have lost not only their footing, but their whole identity as a team. Their play is no longer defined or stylistic, VP are dipping their toes in the waters of many different styles, searching for a new approach to the game that will suddenly click. In 2016, Virtus.pro are masters of none. A Chronic Conundrum

It's safe to say the team is no longer at a point where their flaws can simply be ironed out. Virtus.pro's inconsistency has plagued them in all of Global Offensive, but this recent spiral of disjointed play and eclectic styles reflects the desperation the Poles are feeling over their performance. The responsibility of in-game leadership has fallen primarily on TaZ's back, but uncertainty in their time of trouble has had VP experimenting with NEO and pasha as callers. All three of these players could make more-than-competent leaders in a top-level CS team, but together in this storied team, it is clear that VP just isn't sure of how to tackle their issues. The Poles were once known for their vicious executes which came off the back of crisp coordination and mechanical supremacy. Executes as of late for Virtus.pro have been mostly misguided. In the search for their new style, the squad have planted themselves into new territory, meaning they're playing styles they are markedly unfamiliar with. Virtus.pro, perhaps in an attempt to keep up with the meta, or even just in fear of remaining too one-dimensional, have begun to take their time and play it slow. The plow is on auto-pilot and VP are playing passively for picks.



Amnesia

Virtus.pro are not good at playing for picks. A slow, methodical approach doesn't fit the team, and it's easy to see just how uncomfortable VP are trying to make it work. Off-timed and unnecessary challenges can throw rounds right from the start, and even when VP gets off to a nice start in a round, it's not often that they'll capitalize on it properly. If they can't take every inch that they earn while playing slow, teams who can will chew them up. Famously, TaZ and his crew have been a momentum-based team from day one. Their earlier playstyles, relying on bullying for map control and making snappy executes that hit hard, were beatdowns, plain and simple. When the plow was in full swing, Virtus.pro could hit a single site the same way for their entire T half and still dominate. But these winning periods seem to be fueled by momentum, and their most recent burnout has left them hopping through scatter-thought playbooks with no true sense of direction.





A team that relies heavily on momentum relies heavily on emotion and team chemistry. Any slip up in the mood or communication can throw a great streak down the drain and bring the team's drive to a halt. VP is undeniably an emotional team—they're known to tilt and depend too much on that momentous x-factor, the Virtus.plow. With a mindset change, the team won't magically solve their issues overnight, but it may help to cast away some of their uncertainty so that they can identify their problems and work to fix them properly. A team that is switching the role of IGL back and forth and half-attempting a number of different styles which they are clearly unfit for is not a team that has undergone a mindset change. They are just a team who has lost themselves entirely. Separating the emotion from the game, both in the sense that you avoid tilting and in the sense that you don't allow your performance to be dictated by the team's momentum, can be hugely beneficial for any squad's outlook. For VP, this change would be most useful back at the drawing board where they have the chance to find their footing once again and learn how best to target down their flaws.



Roster shakeup?

It's a time like this, the toughest in their career, that makes many wonder if a lineup change is finally in the cards for VP. The NEO/TaZ/pasha trio has defined the Counter-Strike legacy of an entire country, and Snax and byali have more than proven their worth on the team. But eventually you hit a wall. In VP's case, you hit a wall every couple months and then get back up to charge at the next one. Sadly for VP, if they continue this course, they're bound to hit a wall that won't give. If/when they do hit that wall, they'll be met with the ultimatum of a roster change—these five players, together an icon of team chemistry and loyalty, would cave and make the first edit to a lineup that has spanned a great majority of CS:GO's entire existence. That said, VP may hold out on that option longer, if only because their options are rather thin. The ex-Vexed Gaming squad, now on Team AGG, and Lounge Gaming round out the top three in Poland, but there's always been a notable gap between VP and the rest of their countrymen. VP have always wrestled with their inconsistency, but they still remained a top-three or top-five team for a gigantic portion of their careers. And still at any point, VP can 'upset' and show a flash of their old selves, reminding everyone why they have been known (on and off) as a tier-one team for so long.





While AGG and Lounge both look more and more promising, rising through the ranks of the European tier-two, they simply don't have a player who can offer the experience and peak play of any one of VP's members. Virtus.pro play against the best competition in the world regularly, and while there might be a hot prospect somewhere in Poland, none of them can offer better than a Virtus.pro player's peak. The average performance of everyone on VP is bound to take a hit when the team is so far lost from a strategic standpoint. If the team had their head on straight from a macro perspective, their individual play will be cleaner, they will tilt less, and they could make a real return to form. On the chance that the fateful day comes and a lineup change is made, Virtus.pro will need a player who can hang with the team's best. If VP bounces back hot, they need a player who can mesh well with the team, operate the plow, and get them back into major contention. If such a prospect exists in Poland, however, the team should consider being on the lookout.



It's a time like this, the toughest in their career, that makes many wonder if a lineup change is finally in the cards for VP. The NEO/TaZ/pasha trio has defined the Counter-Strike legacy of an entire country, and Snax and byali have more than proven their worth on the team. But eventually you hit a wall. In VP's case, you hit a wall every couple months and then get back up to charge at the next one. Sadly for VP, if they continue this course, they're bound to hit a wall that won't give. If/when they do hit that wall, they'll be met with the ultimatum of a roster change—these five players, together an icon of team chemistry and loyalty, would cave and make the first edit to a lineup that has spanned a great majority of CS:GO's entire existence. That said, VP may hold out on that option longer, if only because their options are rather thin. The ex-Vexed Gaming squad, now onTeam AGG, andLounge Gaming round out the top three in Poland, but there's always been a notable gap between VP and the rest of their countrymen. VP have always wrestled with their inconsistency, but they still remained a top-three or top-five team for a gigantic portion of their careers. And still at any point, VP can 'upset' and show a flash of their old selves, reminding everyone why they have been known (on and off) as a tier-one team for so long.While AGG and Lounge both look more and more promising, rising through the ranks of the European tier-two, they simply don't have a player who can offer the experience and peak play of any one of VP's members. Virtus.pro play against the best competition in the world regularly, and while there might be a hot prospect somewhere in Poland, none of them can offer better than a Virtus.pro player's peak. The average performance of everyone on VP is bound to take a hit when the team is so far lost from a strategic standpoint. If the team had their head on straight from a macro perspective, their individual play will be cleaner, they will tilt less, and they could make a real return to form. On the chance that the fateful day comes and a lineup change is made, Virtus.pro will need a player who can hang with the team's best. If VP bounces back hot, they need a player who can mesh well with the team, operate the plow, and get them back into major contention. If such a prospect exists in Poland, however, the team should consider being on the lookout. Inspirations from overseas

Virtus.pro have a lot of work to do if they want to hit their former glory, but most of that work comes in the form of a giant hurdle—finding their direction. VP's been searching up and down for a new stratagem to quickly pull them out of their slump, but they're coming up short for the answers they really need. The Poles are no longer playing like the Virtus.pro fans know and love. But they can't simply emulate the play of Fnatic, who possess a keen sense for their teamplay and communication, or of Na'Vi who are able to play their infamous slow style only because of the powerhouse Ladislav “GuardiaN” Kovács opening up rounds and shutting down entire sites solo. If anything, VP should look to draw influence from the Brazilians in Luminosity Gaming. LG are already known for their ultra-refined, calculated executes and meticulous setups. Even avoiding the slow game, the current Virtus.pro could stand to learn a lot about straight executes from Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, who has been lauded for his deep understanding of CS philosophy and smart, measured play. Luminosity is showing the world that execute-based play is still viable, but Virtus.pro will need to adjust their approach to the style if they want to bring the plow back into operation.





MLG Columbus won't start easily for Virtus.pro, either. There's always hope for a squad with this much talent, but given recent performances, landing in a group with Na'Vi, G2, and Cloud9 could spell certain doom.









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Virtus.pro have a lot of work to do if they want to hit their former glory, but most of that work comes in the form of a giant hurdle—finding their direction. VP's been searching up and down for a new stratagem to quickly pull them out of their slump, but they're coming up short for the answers they really need. The Poles are no longer playing like the Virtus.pro fans know and love. But they can't simply emulate the play of Fnatic, who possess a keen sense for their teamplay and communication, or of Na'Vi who are able to play their infamous slow style only because of the powerhouse Ladislav “GuardiaN” Kovács opening up rounds and shutting down entire sites solo. If anything, VP should look to draw influence from the Brazilians inLuminosity Gaming. LG are already known for their ultra-refined, calculated executes and meticulous setups. Even avoiding the slow game, the current Virtus.pro could stand to learn a lot about straight executes fromGabriel “FalleN” Toledo, who has been lauded for his deep understanding of CS philosophy and smart, measured play. Luminosity is showing the world that execute-based play is still viable, but Virtus.pro will need to adjust their approach to the style if they want to bring the plow back into operation.MLG Columbus won't start easily for Virtus.pro, either. There's always hope for a squad with this much talent, but given recent performances, landing in a group with Na'Vi,G2, andCloud9 could spell certain doom.Writer: Shooz Editor: Amazingxkcd CSS: FO-nTTaX Graphics: DearDave

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