After a surprise loss to NRG in the opening round of StarSeries Fall, MOUZ faced a big first-round lower-bracket match against Natus Vincere. Surprised by the Cache pick, they fell 0-1 in the series after an aimless T side, but brought it back on Inferno and Mirage to keep their hopes alive in Barcelona.
After the elimination series, Dennis “sycrone” Nielsen took some time to talk about the match itself, as well as how the different elements on the team are adapting to the team’s structure, from youngsters Adrian “xelex” Vincze and Oldřich “PR” Nový to sniper Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás, and how fan perception can affect the players.
Listen to the interview here
All right, we’re here at StarSeries Fall. It’s day two. I’m here with sycrone, MOUZ’s coach, fresh after the victory over NAVI. I want to bring up Cache. What was it that made that T side so hard for you? I think you got just one round in the whole half. So why was it that you couldn’t find a way to break through?
Yeah, two things in particular. One is that they had yet to play it officially, so the data on them was very limited. Second, I think NAVI play their best when they can organize these mid fights around makazze and iM. We often ran into that mid setup, and either we were too unstructured in our mid takes, or we were trying to force it too much.
In moments where we’re trying to react on sites, our small fakes in Middle were already killed, and we either overcommitted or didn’t react well. And in the moment where we want to play more directly and play more sites, it’s just really obvious. So we’re a step behind there, and I think their approach of having makazze and iM control these mid setups — we just ran into it.
As you get to play more Cache, or Cache gets more played in general, when you look at the map stats, it’s pretty even on both sides. It’s like I think 51 percent for Ts, 51-49, something like that. But when I watch games, I see a lot of times it’ll either be very one-sided on the T side or very one-sided on the CT side. It seems like it’s still kind of fluctuating. How do you see the map?
Yeah, I think the reason why it fluctuates sometimes is if a team has momentum, and they just have the better idea and flow; not a lot of teams have the perfect answers right now. So maybe they end up like us, having a messy half now on the T side, not necessarily the right answers. I see the map as one where the CT side can be extremely dynamic. You can do Mid setups, like NAVI did now, and probably expect that the Ts at some point are going to take Middle, or if not, you have really fast rotations everywhere.
At the same time, I also think CTs can explore options of pushing door and timing. We saw torzsi do it at one moment when they did the Mid take. You can take A Main, you can take B Lobby. And I think it’s a map where the CTs can do a lot, but also sometimes they can force into an awkward split.
I think for the T side, it can be really difficult to try and control the pacing. It’s also why a lot of teams have these early Mid pop takes, and then they would mid-round call from there. Or explosive B pops where it gets a little bit chaotic, or explosive A things.
It’s still not figured out, I think, even if it was played in the past, because I think now there are way more options for revealing the Mid smoke and going for things, or popping through the B smokes. Dropping util around the map also, let’s take Inferno, for example, or Ancient, way more common that the CT side drop util around, and they fake that they still maintain pressure somewhere or fake a take. It’s not that common yet on this map. I think if you look at us, we explored a little bit on the B side of the map. Sometimes leave the A guy with stuff. It’s going to take time, and I think the two maps we had now here, there’s a lot of valuable intel.
Perhaps it was my mistake not to account for NAVI to pick it today, so we didn’t do a lot of feedback on what happened yesterday against NRG. If I’d known that they would definitely go towards the pick, maybe I would have spent that time, but they also finished late last night. And for us to know it and go here early, we can only focus on so many things, right?
First and foremost, they’re good at asking questions. They’re curious about the game
You bring up getting momentum. You guys did the opposite to NAVI on Inferno, and it was that Spinx triple on the CT side to get that first round, where the bomb drops on Short. You got the first CT round, and it stopped their momentum. Tell me a little bit about how that round sparked you guys getting back into the game and being able to close out that Inferno.
Yeah, I think it was unorthodox actually, from NAVI, they made an A pop early, and I think both torzsi and xelex were a little bit unaware. They were caught off guard that they were actually exploding in this way. Good for us is that we had an early game approach that Spinx should be more involved with the fight. He should start maybe a bit more committed towards A.
I think it was also a game where Spinx found himself often impactful in the right position. This was one situation where on A he went for that triple and got us into it, but also towards the end to close out the half he committed himself to the B take even on the second wave that we did, and he found a two-kill on car. And that’s something that he’s really good at: understanding when he should be part of the round, and when he needs to be more of a rotating position. I think it was also kind of similar on Cache. So this is what he’s here for, right? To be in the right position at the right time and make himself involved. It’s a good example of that Inferno one.
The other day when I spoke to torzsi, we talked a little bit about how PR and xelex are adapting to the team and how you guys are working that into the new structure, but I wanted to bring it up with you as the coach, especially. torzsi told me that you’re spending a lot of time with xelex just watching demos, seeing how he reacts, kind of molding him a little bit as a player. Can you tell me about the focus points that you’re going over with him?
Yeah, I can. Just maybe on xelex and Olda [PR], I think first and foremost, they’re good at asking questions. They’re curious about the game. They’re also open to feedback. I think that’s the most important thing as a coach: that you have someone who’s open to feedback and has a good attitude towards it. And I think most of it is on them, right? They open the door for you.
With xelex right now, it’s a lot about facilitating in his areas and positions, making sure he has a playbook and an arsenal that we can follow up behind, something that is also authentic, that is his in a way. Of course, xertioN played a lot in those positions, so feedback between him and me and xelex is a lot on this. What can you do? What are the options here? How do you prepare for a game? You’re often in the hot seat position where teams anti-strat you because you’re a map control position. How do you mix up timings? How do you become a bit unpredictable?
And it’s a lot of work to stay ahead of the meta, and I think for that it’s also sitting down, watching demos, getting ahead of it, understanding how the enemy team thinks now, how we can still play to our strengths. And also, him coming from tier-two, it’s not that detail-oriented. You don’t have that much variety, and it’s something that he’s building more here. So we’re teaching him how to become a better voice, also teaching him how to have more variety, and also how to handle the pressure when you’re in a position that’s under a lot of focus.
For almost five years, torzsi has been the main heart and fire of the team
And how is it as well with PR? It seemed like he was going to come in and be kind of also part of maybe the entry team and early into the site, but now it seems maybe he’s more comfortable actually playing the clutches in the late rounds. So how has it been also getting him into the structure and making him feel comfortable and trying to get the best out of him?
Yeah, we’re also figuring it out as we go a bit. We’ve had a lot of games on the road now, many tournaments on the road. Doesn’t leave time for a lot of practice, so we need to, between two practice days, be able to adjust and adapt things. I think in a mixture between him and Dori [xertioN], they’re both quite capable of taking the space and going for things.
I think Dori is maybe more confident in it. He also used to play that role, so we will utilize him in that way on certain maps, certain positions. Also maybe certain moments where the team needs to be propelled forward. And I think part of it is also this reason, that Dori’s more reliable right now in that moment. He has that experience, and we’re using that a little bit. He can alleviate the pressure from the team to have to make that play and that move. He will do it, and he will open up the rounds for others to clutch it out or to have more impact in the mid-round.
I think he is more of a playmaker than we had previously in Jimi. I think both Jimi and Spinx are two kind of passive players by nature, and it was more difficult. So you will see him be more active in some positions than previously. But probably a balance somewhere is a mixture between him and Dori doing it. Of course, xelex is the main entry guy, and torzsi would go for his peeks, right? And you see Spinx being more of an active player than he ever was, even now in the passive positions. So maybe that answers it.
You work for five years, and then you just get booed on stage — it’s not easy, to be honest
And then you bring up torzsi and the peeks. Other than the very elite AWPers, everybody else seems to have been struggling. torzsi was kind of struggling for a while, then he had a green patch lately where he had some pretty good events. But then last event, struggling a little. Here it seems like he’s also struggling a little. So what are you guys trying to do to get the best out of torzsi?
Yeah, it’s a great question. Maybe something we did that people don’t really recognize is that for almost five years, torzsi has been the main heart and fire of the team. Always the guy pushing on stages, propelling the team forward. It is a tough and demanding job, of course, to be a pro player, but also to be that guy on the team who does it. And to be honest, I think our team maybe oftentimes lacks that guy. And he burned out a bit towards the end.
We were constantly going deep in tournaments, not having that reward. It’s really exhausting. So we had a guy that was burned out, to be honest, especially towards the end of most of last season. So a lot of the work with him is also on the mental side. He’s also taking steps there to take care of himself. We have a sports psychologist always making big gains and moves, and this is the work that people don’t see, but I think a big part of it is this.
Then, of course, on the playing side, xertioN is in the IGL position and is better at microing than we had previously. It takes away some of the pressure for torzsi to do it. So he gets to lead more with the AWP, or he gets to just follow AWP and trade frags. So there’s moments like this where it’s a little bit less on him.
You highlight that some teams have star AWPers and so on. I read the other day this interview with zonic where he says m0NESY is their star player. They need to build a team around him. In MOUZ it’s not like that. We want to have five players that can perform and deliver. I think if it was structured the other way around, that we put all the resources toward Adam [torzsi] playing well, maybe he would also have numbers that look similar to these other guys, but it’s not how we approach things. Yeah, we like to think that we put it across five players. We share the responsibility. I think he’s still a world-class player.
And yeah, just from a personal perspective, I’m really happy to see that he is bouncing back. It’s not easy, and I think he’s still not over the hump yet. It’s going to take a bit more work. And the goal with him is that, by the end of the year, when we have a good shot at the Major, he’s at his best.
The showmanship part is also something we talk about internally
You talk about him trying to be kind of that guy pushing the team forward a little bit. Do you think a little bit of this is also coming from fans sort of saying, ‘Oh, MOUZ don’t have aura, MOUZ don’t have personality,’ and so the guys are trying to fill that role? And is it really necessary? Can you just have a team that’s a little bit more calm and where the personalities are not necessarily extravagant and making grand statements and that kind of thing?
I’ll try to answer, I’m not sure I understand exactly how you worded it…
Do you think that the guys feel pressure, maybe from fans and such, to have to be that guy that’s a little bit more outgoing and hype and that kind of thing? Because it seems that there’s this perception that the MOUZ team is kind of boring, so we’re not going to cheer for them.
Definitely. Any player wants to be loved. They want to be respected. You put so much time and effort into it. Also the same for Adam. You work for five years, and then you just get booed on stage — it’s not easy, to be honest. I think something that we work a lot on in the team and talk about is that we need to shield ourselves a little bit here. We need to focus on what we’re here for. At the very end of the day, what they will respect the most is if we play good Counter-Strike. This is really how we can turn it around. It is that we prove that we can play on the stage. It is that we prove that we can lift the trophy. It’s that we prove that we can beat a Falcons, beat a Spirit, we can beat a Vitality.
And now here at StarSeries, we have an opportunity in the lower bracket. It’s going to be a bit of a fight, right? We have good teams ahead of us. We have four games if we want to go the whole way. This is where, even if in the studio environment, it’ll be a fight. And I think if we can prove ourselves here in this run, this is the active step that we’re taking to demand some respect, right? We will let the Counter-Strike speak.
If you ask me, I think the guys have great personalities. I think it’s a shame that it’s not shown a bit more. I think maybe the media perception jumps quickly on this bandwagon of hating on us. For us, it’s quite clear. We just need to play good Counter-Strike. At some point, it’s going to turn over.
I think a lot of times fans just want more showmanship. They don’t appreciate somebody just because they’re more quiet or more calm. But yeah, I was just wondering how it plays psychologically on a player, right?
Also, the showmanship part is also something we talk about internally in the team. When we had jL for a while, we were also looking into whether it made sense to get him. If it was going to work out. I think he has spoken about it from his side already. He brings a little bit more of that. I think also now with xertioN as a captain, he’s a little bit more outspoken. And we beforehand had also a very passive team by nature. Also a little bit more laid back, more quiet. A lot of it was on torzsi to be that guy who’s in the spotlight.
I personally don’t see anything wrong with it. I think everybody has their personality and it’s the way it is…
No, but I’m quite sure that in the moment it starts to turn a bit, you also see the guys get a bit more fired up. Now in Porto you see Spinx with his hands up to his head. You see Dori celebrating after, shouting a bit at the other guys. They’re definitely coming more alive. I would maybe say the two young guys right now are still very focused on the game. They also have quite cerebral playstyles, so they’re very locked into the game. Maybe not the biggest showmen, but it’s a topic also internally, yeah
