YEKINDAR: "Twistzz is considered as a secondary caller in our team"

Liquid stay alive in IEM Dallas over a heater of a game with Falcons, taking it home in map three. The only NA team with a win in the home event, Liquid carry the glory of NA, potentially all the way to the arena. For that, Liquid need to beat HooXi-less G2 to cement their spot.

After the match, Dust2.us' Jeffrey "Mnmzzz" Moore spoke with Liquid's Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis about Twistzz, his personal performance, and the team as a whole.

A partial transcription is available below, or you can watch the YouTube video below.

Twistzz really took control of the game on Ancient, dropping 36 kills in the game. Was it something you guys worked to enable or was that just a pop-off game?

I'm pretty sure Russ, before the match he was already kind of feeling it. I think he was a little bit mad after the Nuke result that he couldn't necessarily have the same impact. I think as soon as Casper recognized that Russel is having this type of game, that he could potentially have more impact that every other player, I think Casper started putting him in these spots and Russ was good with calling and being vocal about what he wants to do. Russ was feeling it and everybody else supported him in the necessary way. That was a fucking important map.

You've had up and downs in your performances with this new Liquid. How do you feel you're doing now that you've had Pro League, CCT Global Finals, and Dallas to work on that?

I'm definitely still not happy with my performance. The good thing is the team believes in me and gives me necessary space. They don't treat me as a bottom fragger and they don't put me in these bottom fragging roles. They truly believe that I can succeed and come back to the level that I am able to play. I think EPL and Dallas and maybe even CCT, I see personal improvement. I think the whole team sees that there's a combination of many things.

Maybe I was being too harsh on myself and playing too much. Or maybe I need to play even more. It's the first time I've really encountered this kind of fall in form, and with the combination of a new game, new team, and a lot of things happening at the same time, that's why I think I had this all happen. I'm sorry for the games that have been lost because of my mistakes or performances, but of course I'm trying my best to come back and I truly believe I will come back.

Watching the game, we saw Twistzz have a lot of input on the calling. Twistzz has always been a vocal player, but was it intentional to have Twistzz in a vocal position in that game?

I think overall Russ is considered in our team as a secondary caller, or second main voice on the team, especially on CT-side because he's playing more aggressive, crucial roles. Of course if Casper has a more macro idea, Casper takes over, but usually the start of the rounds are decided by Russ.

I think on T-sides specifically, whoever is feeling it, they can chip in if they want to do something or see some gaps, they can communicate it and Casper can try to make a plan for it. Of course, not always will you accept it for the plan, but that's just a teamwork thing. Of course, sometimes you offer something and it's denied, but next time you'll be accepted and I think it's more about whose feeling it.