B1ad3: "jL has this instant mindset to destroy the other team"

NAVI's coach spoke about fulfilling the minimum goal of qualifying for the PGL Major playoffs, Aleksib's evolution in the NAVI system and iM's struggles in the first stage.

With a win over paiN in the 2-2 pool of the Elimination Stage, NAVI converted their third chance to qualify for the PGL Major playoffs after squandering series leads against Spirit and Cloud9.

They are set on a collision course with Eternal Fire in the quarter-finals with G2 and MOUZ on their side of the bracket as well — a stark contrast to the top side, which features all three of the world's top-three teams.

In an interview following NAVI's qualification, Andrey "⁠B1ad3⁠" Gorodenskiy spoke about his original goal going into the tournament being at least a top-four finish, and admitted the bracket turning out this way could be favorable for his team.

"I can say it was like bonus motivation, that we can face not the strongest opponents," he said. "We beat G2 a lot of times before, we won against Eternal Fire before; I know for sure they want revenge, but it's still better than playing Vitality or Spirit."

Natus Vincere's coach also spoke about Mihai "⁠iM⁠" Ivan's 0.82-rated first stage performance coming down to "nerves" after a boot camp in which the Romanian player showed great results, and contrasted that with praise for the in-form Justinas "⁠jL⁠" Lekavicius.

"If you see jL, for a lot of official matches he comes so fired up. He has this instant mindset to destroy the other team. I think not every player can do this. I think this is what Mihai [iM] must master more."

You can read the full interview or listen to the audio recording of it below:

NAVI are into the playoffs with a 3-2 score. What's your initial reaction to making it?

I think we expected to be in the playoffs. For me, the minimum goal was, and it is, to be top four. With this lineup I think it will be an amazing result for us. But who knows? Majors have magic moments, maybe we will go even better. I know we played not so sharp maps versus a lot of teams, like Spirit and Cloud9, but you can always analyze your mistakes, improve, understand what was wrong. With a good game plan I think anything is always possible.

The Cloud9 game was not at your best, but at Majors like this with how Swiss can be, a lot of teams get knocked out. How good does it feel to survive having an off day at a tournament as ruthless as the Major can be?

That's not something I think about. We had a really good boot camp and we prepped for like two weeks for this event, so we expected for sure to be in the playoffs, this was our minimum for sure.

Today is Sunday and we play on Friday, that's not something I expected, it's four days off. You kinda lose this tournament vibe, but, at the same time, the opposite is more days to prepare, you know your opponent, Eternal Fire. I think we won versus them the last two, three, maybe four times, so maybe it's a comfortable opponent for us. But it's a different Eternal Fire now, they are fired up, they are always improving, so it's gonna be a tough match.

Looking at the team more generally, since s1mple left it has felt like it has raised everyone's level to more than the sum of their parts. Do you agree?

Of course. I think if s1mple leaves any team you will feel the difference — I mean prime s1mple, basically, because when he played for Falcons you could see he didn't practice for a long time and didn't play for like six months, he wasn't in good shape. But when he was at EPL playing with us, he was playing great, and when he leaves the team you need to change a lot of stuff.

One individual can create so many things in the game, can affect so many things in the game, it can be even a connection with one player, some space he constantly created on some map with his skills, info, his ideas in the game. I think it's very important. If you see a team as one unit with five pieces, I think it's very crucial if change any player. If he was impactful, the whole unit will change. Inside, a lot of details will change, and sometimes you don't see them instantly, you can only see them after a nervous and stressful match because people will show their weaknesses at this point. It is like it is, but we are trying something.

I wanted to ask you about the relationship between you and Aleksib. Where do you feel that synergy has reached at this point?

I think it is 50-50. In my opinion, he's still learning, but we are moving towards the right direction for sure. It's very natural, we did this, it didn't work, we did this, it worked, and we're shaping up everything, his ideas and my ideas. At the moment we are building something towards a NAVI system.

From what I experienced, I think Aleksi had a lot of control on previous teams inside the game, and now we're trying to build a system where players will be more independent in terms of crucial decisions. And I think he's fine with that. He's just adapting, we're doing this, and let's say it was 20-80, where we were doing something not from our system, now it's for sure towards 60 in a positive way. We are moving more and more, every decision is more automatic without guarding your teammates.

There is this narrative around Aleksib around micromanaging, but do you actually see it in game? With players like w0nderful especially, the rookie AWPers, he's always been really good at getting them going. How do you see that in game?

I think he's not controlling him now in the game, mostly he's not controlling him. w0nderful is moving, he gives him full freedom, whatever he wants he is doing. Of course there are some little things in terms of gameplan, prep on micro zones, but overall decision-making, he also always says, 'you must be more proactive, you must more around the map.' So I think it's good, it's good.

Also about iM, there are a few more question marks around his form. Is that unfair, do you think? Is there too much pressure on the outside?

He was showing really good results on the boot camp. At the moment, his main goal is to become a permanent second voice in the team and to constantly offer ideas, moving the team in the proper direction if he sees a gap. We worked on this aspect a lot on the boot camp and he succeeded very well.

I think now it's more about nerves, it's more about being a little bit not confident in himself, in my opinion, and sometimes even unlucky. Sometimes it can be mistakes in our team, someone is not watching some gap or behind, or somebody's flashing him, and we have a couple of reasons for this. But most of the things, yeah, I think it's a snowball. If you're not doing what you did at the boot camp, game after game, you're kinda overthinking. You're thinking, 'maybe I'm doing something wrong.' All he needs now is to activate himself because he was doing great at the boot camp. Maybe he needs to work more on mindset stuff. From my perspective, if you see jL, for a lot of official matches he comes so fired up. He has this instant mindset to destroy the other team. I think not every player can do this. I think this is what Mihai [iM] must master more.

I wasn't in GamerLegion, I don't know what was the atmosphere, but maybe he got used to that atmosphere so much that he was so comfortable in everything. I think he was there for two years or something, he knew every detail, who can support, who can flash, a lot of keywords... He was in a very comfortable atmosphere and that comes with time. So he needs some time. He also said to me that playoffs are a different game, and I think he also wants to show a much better game by himself. He's constantly trying, and I think with more effort he will succeed.

I have to ask about jL as well. It's easy for the outside to see him as the 'good vibes' guy. In the game he is really fired up and sometimes that comes with smashing the table or whatever, but in terms of in the server, actually delivering the goods. What's your perspective on jL in this team?

Like I said, his main advantage is that he can set himself for a proper fight in the game, psychologically he can set himself to be confident, to be aggressive, not hesitate and so on. He doesn't have a lot of experience, Counter-Strike wise he's a young player in terms of experience, and he's learning a lot. His weakness is not enough experience, and his strength is his aim, if he's fired up. So with time, it's obvious, he needs more experience to understand situations, proper moves, which one is better, getting everything under control in the game. This is what every tier-one player is doing when he is in prime shape.

Finally, on playoffs themselves. You are on the easier side of the bracket, avoiding Spirit. Your goal before was top four — does that change when you see the bracket?

I checked the bracket even yesterday and I can say it was like bonus motivation, actually, that we can face not the strongest opponents. They're all strong, but there's a grade in ranking. As I said, we beat G2 a lot of times before. I know for sure they want revenge, but it's still better than playing Vitality or Spirit. We won against Eternal Fire before, they also want revenge, but the same for us, it is better than Vita and Spirit, even Cloud9.

I would like to play Cloud9 one more time because that Overpass was not good, shameful. FaZe also lost to Eternal Fire, it's not good to lose like this, but for sure we didn't show what we're capable of on that map.