Insania on 1w Team’s struggles in Dota 2: “It’s a tough time for 33 right now. NetA’s heroes have been nerfed a lot.”

Insania: I think we had problems even with SabeRLight, but some of them were basically unsolvable, and we tried to work around them. But with this roster, it seems to me that Team Liquid just can’t bring out the players’ full potential. Nothing is clicking—I agree 100% with that—and I think this team will look different next year because everything just looks bad right now.

Cap: I don’t want to sound too harsh, but whose responsibility is this? Is it just a general problem that they aren’t gelling as a team? Is it a problem with the drafts, the coach, or a lack of leadership that would give them a clear vision? Why is this happening? We see this all the time: how many teams, full of talent, have failed throughout Dota 2 history, right?

Insania: I don’t know. I’m much less aware of what’s going on inside their team than you might think, but from my perspective, the offlaner just isn’t working. The synergy between Ace and Boxi is terrible. And if we look at the 2026 Esports World Cup, if I had full control over the team and could do whatever I wanted, and every player was doing their absolute best to bring my vision to life, I’d switch Boxi and tOfu’s roles.

Cap: There was a discussion during the EWC about how weak the mid lane is right now. Do you think that’s a factor too? It’s a bad meta for Ace.

Quinn: I don’t think Ace is a come-from-behind kind of player. He isn’t strong when he’s behind. He’s good when he’s hard to kill, farms a lot, buys the right items, and is durable. That’s what he always tries to do—it was the same with Gaimin Gladiators. And right now, all these “turret-pushing” heroes are just broken, and it’s unbearable to face them on the lane.

Quinn: This team has had problems ever since they won ESL One Birmingham 2026. They’re kind of… I don’t know why, honestly. It’s strange, because all the players are really good—high-ranked, skilled, and all that.

Insania: I think 33 is going through a rough patch right now. Neta’s heroes have been nerfed a lot, and laning has gotten tougher. One of 1w Team’s captain’s weaknesses is that he’ll always play the way he’s used to and try to do what he’s good at—he’s completely committed to that. That makes him a fantastic esports player, but when times are tough, there aren’t many ways to change the team’s dynamics because he’s the centerpiece of the team. He’s the drafter, and he’ll try to make his style work. And this is a very tough patch for that, so his teammates have to go above and beyond.