The Blast World Final 2021 is almost upon us and the lineup is stacked. The top 4 teams (5 out of the top 8) of the PGL Stockholm Major will face off once more in this talent-jammed premier tournament. We have delved back into an exciting era of Counter Strike chalk full of storylines, which include potential grudge matches, rivalries and greatest of all time players pitted against each other.
Here is how the teams stack up in our pre-event power rankings.
There is not a whole lot to say about this team right now. With their new lineup being leaked by NeL, 3 of these 5 starting players will not be on the team for long. Surely that will not bode well for motivation against some of the best teams in the world. Series victories here would require nothing short of a miracle, especially with the way the team has been looking. With recent public criticism of Grim by Stewie2K on top of the looming roster changes, morale will surely be low for the youngster.
After an earlier than expected exit at the Major, NIP has not looked like a tournament winning team. Going back and forth with wins and losses against Astralis, NIP have a lot to prove. With a roster that has been freshly changed like a baby’s diaper, expect their tournament run to end with someone asking what the smell is. Es3tag will surely not solve their self-destructive terrorist side performances. Steer cleer of NiPs Counter-Strike Betting Markets during this event.
Though impressive in their initial performances with k0nfig and blameF, this will be their first challenge after having had some practice time. Though the big factors for Astralis seem to be the new players, it could really be Lucky’s performance that changes the tide. If he continues to rifle instead of AWP, he can arguably compete in top tier Counter Strike. It will be fun to see the new Astralis in a real LAN tournament against the top teams in the world.
Vitality are a very exciting team to watch. There are few things as hype as when Apex gets emotional and screams at the crowd or when Zyw0o seals a victory against Na’Vi with a 1v4 to end the Nuke winning streak. This team is fun to watch, end of story. However, consistency has been an issue. Which version on shox will show up, and will kyojin go missing again like he did at the major? There are too many questions surrounding this team to be confident in them winning it all.
Though they have proved they are not onliners, Heroic still need to prove they can sneak their way into a final on LAN. They have shown that they are currently the best the Danish rosters have to offer, and when they get going they are a hard team to stop. With incredibly clutch players like cadiaN and refrezh backed up by the likes of stavn, Heroic are ALWAYS a contender in any tournament they are in. There is an interesting anomaly with esports bookmakers and Heroic odds, and they always seem to get underdog odds in their matches. Use it to your advantage.
There is a lot of talk around roster moves for this team after their heartbreaking loss in the final against Na’Vi. However, it is still the team that had an incredible deep run at the hardest tournament of the year. With a few adjustments, G2 can absolutely beat anybody in the world. However, they will need to be their best selves if they wish to topple the current kings of Counter Strike.
Gambit was the number one team in the world for a very long time. On LAN, they found themselves still able to win. There are no holes in their game except maybe nerves. Now that they have the Major under their belts, they have had a taste of the pressure that only H0bbit had felt previously. I believe they are the team who has the best chance of beating the best team in the world.
This is no surprise to anybody. The favorites in any tournament they are in, they have no visible weak spots. What used to be the S1mple show is a well rounded machine. So well rounded they did not lose a single map at the Major. Though anything is possible, the CS2 odds are in favour of Na’Vi whenever they are on the server. And if S1mple is on his game the opponents simply do not stand a chance.
If you are looking at individual player performance bets, or constructing a roster for Fantasy CS2, here are five players you definitely need to consider for your rosters.
NiKo has maybe the best raw aim in the world. A NiKo kill is crisp, clean and surgical. His crosshair, a scalpel sharpened and ready to cut out some organs. He is the reason G2 has accomplished what they have as of late.
Sure they are two players, but holy boats am I excited to watch this pair compete. I once said c0mplexity was a very exciting team to watch and at the time it was true. The reason? These two make games fun with their explosive and clutch playstyles.
Sh1ro’s playstyle is fun. Simple as that. With his quick flicks and aggressive peeks, his consistency is very impressive. Expect him to come back with a vengeance after having had time to digest the Major exit.
Given the nickname “The Game” has a certain responsibility that comes with it. Luckily, he has been able to live up to the name. His 1v4 against Na’Vi on Nuke was an incredible clutch and reminds us why we love this frenchman.
Alright, maybe this is cheating… but can you blame me? For the last six years I’ve tried to tune in to matches when he plays. He is hands down the best to ever play and they should have a secondary stream where the camera is only on him. I’d watch it.
LOL
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