Twistzz: “I’m really very happy with the form we’re in right now and the results we’re putting up.”
FaZe Clan CS2 captain Russell “Twistzz” van Dalken shared his thoughts in an interview on Stake Ranked Episode 2 following the victory over Alliance, discussed the differences between the current roster and the previous one, and highlighted key changes following the team’s roster shake-up.
On his feelings after winning the tournament’s opening match
We weren’t surprised at all when our opponents picked Anubis; it was an obvious pick to try to punish us. We tried to focus on ourselves, our own game, and our strengths rather than paying attention to our opponents’ moves. I’m really very happy with the form we’re in right now and the results we’re showing.
On the difference between the current FaZe Clan and the previous roster
New players always bring something of their own to the team and infuse it with energy. Now we have a support player who’s very talkative, calls a lot of plays, and is always active during matches. All of this really helps the team dynamics, especially when playing defense. I think there are more suggestions being made within the team during matches now. I wouldn’t say that at this stage we’re significantly better than the previous roster; we’re just a different team with different strengths, that’s all.
On the new players and key changes
The main idea that emerged after the roster change was that my playing philosophy isn’t a mistake. The point is that if you do something and everyone else on the team knows about it, it opens up an opportunity for the next teammate to prove themselves. It’s like a game of chess: if someone wants to be a pawn, to sacrifice themselves and see what comes of it—that’s their choice. We’re playing in a style right now where people feel heard and can try something without fear of being judged for it. All of this is very important, actually, and, of course, a positive attitude helps a lot. The guys realize what level we’re at right now, and I also like how each of us is contributing to the common cause.
Yesterday, FaZe Clan defeated Alliance in their debut match at Stake Ranked Episode 2 in a best-of-3 series with a 2-0 map score. Twistzz’s team advanced to the upper bracket semifinals of the tournament and will face Magic there today.
Photo by Stephanie Lindgren, BLAST.
