While he’s by consensus thought-about not less than a top-two CS:GO participant on the earth, the nonetheless someway solely 22-year-old Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut has been thought to be somebody who begins sluggish within the new calendar 12 months.
Early into 2023, although, he’s put up completely elite numbers, dominating the competitors on the subject of Ok/D, general participant score, and influence at BLAST Premier Spring Groups and now IEM Katowice. But whereas his numbers have been regular and constant, his Vitality teammates have been something however.
Back at BLAST Spring, it was as nice an general staff exhibiting as you would ask for should you’re a Vitality fan or a member of administration. ZywOo and teammate Spinx had been superb, veteran legends Magisk and dupreeh had been greater than stable, and the staff solely misplaced one map en path to a first-place end of their group.
But now in Katowice, the staff has reverted again to being overly reliant on ZywOo but once more, at an alarming stage. While his numbers have been spectacular, to say the least, the remainder of the staff has simply not proven up. He’s been known as upon to bail out the staff at the next charge as nicely. At BLAST Spring, he confronted 4 solo clutch alternatives and received all of them throughout seven maps. But in Katowice, throughout solely 5 maps, he’s confronted 5 already, together with an astounding one-vs-four win towards Fnatic.
Looking on the previous few occasions, ZywOo’s Vitality teammates could be described as constantly inconsistent; they’ve been absent in Katowice, splendid at BLAST Spring, lacking at BLAST World Final and the Rio Major, however nice at ESL Pro League season 16.
Their trophy raise at ESL Pro League is precisely what you’d need to constantly see out of Vitality; an elite efficiency out of a consensus nice like ZywOo, and a robust assist exhibiting out of 1 or two teammates, as we noticed from Spinx and magisk. But outdoors of that trophy, Vitality’s victories have been few and much between for a staff that sports activities a top-two participant, two legendary multi-time Major winners, an completed IGL, a gifted rising star, and considered one of if not the best coach of all time.
Despite his teammates’ inconsistencies, ZywOo has dragged Vitality right into a assured playoff spot at IEM Katowice. But towards groups like Heroic, FaZe, NAVI, and G2, will he nonetheless be capable to win nearly totally on his personal?
