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It’s fair to say that G2’s start to PGL Astana 2025 has been nothing short of a horror show. Losses to MIBR and ODDIK leave them 0:2 in the Swiss Group Stage, just one loss away from crashing out without a single win to their name. Of course, with TaZ filling in for huNter-, there’s only so much you can expect from the team, but worryingly enough, he hasn’t even looked the worst of their problems. Dare I say the coach stand-in has looked… fine? At least, considering the expectations.
Assuming G2 crash out of PGL Astana 2025, the question will then turn to the rest of the season for the team with huNter- back in the lineup. What does that look like? Are G2 in real trouble heading into the BLAST.tv Austin Major? I’m sorry to say, but the prognosis is not looking good.
malbsMd has a lot of evolution to do for top-level CS
Credit: Sebastian Pandelache | PGL
When NiKo left G2, malbsMd was tasked with taking on a lot of his roles, ultimately giving him a more critical role for the team. If PGL Astana 2025 has shown us anything, it’s that right now, he just doesn’t have the ability to take over matches like his predecessor did, especially when the going gets tough. T-sides have been a particular sore spot for malbsMd, especially during Astana.
As a young player, there’s no doubt that malbsMd has plenty of time to grow into the Counter-Strike player he very clearly can be. But in this G2 lineup, time isn’t exactly a luxury, and the BLAST.tv Austin Major isn’t exactly the place you want to be learning on the fly. G2 should obviously give malbsMd more time, but he’s got to put up better numbers than we’re seeing at PGL Astana.
hades is not the guy on AWP
Credit: Sebastian Pandelache | PGL
It was only natural that whoever replaced m0NESY on G2 would be a step down in quality – just about everybody is from such a player. But poor old hades. Once touted as a solid Tier 1 AWPer, the Polish player has had the unenviable job of filling in on a part-time basis for G2, and really, he’s looked pretty meh so far.
The current rumor suggests that SunPayus will be joining G2 post-Austin Major, and it’s difficult to imagine on hades’ current form that he’s done anything to change the team’s mind on this. While the AWP might be in steadier hands after the BLAST.tv Austin Major, for the rest of the season, it’s going to remain a weak point for G2. It’s not exactly fair to pick on hades given the rough circumstances he finds himself in, but it would be equally unfair not to mention it among G2’s current issues as a team.
TaZ and Snax put a hard ceiling on G2
Credit: Sebastian Pandelache | PGL
For the stand-in situation alone, G2 have been one of the must-watch teams at PGL Astana 2025 for all the wrong reasons. We can say it over and over again, but Polish duo Snax and TaZ put such a hard ceiling on the quality of this team. Despite their experience together, they don’t seem to have the tactical nous to put together the pieces for G2 to be a competitive force without the firepower of NiKo and m0NESY.
TaZ gets a pass for PGL Astana – he’s performing admirably on the server in a tough moment for the team. But come the BLAST.tv Austin Major, it’s going to be the same old story behind the team. G2 fans, it’s time to strap in – for the reasons highlighted above, it might only get worse from here unless something radical changes.
