Team Liquid has finalized the signing of Israeli rifler Guy "NertZ" Iluz from Heroic, marking a pivotal roster change for the Dutch organization as they aim to solidify their place among the elite in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). NertZ will replace Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis, who has been benched following a prolonged dip in form.
YEKINDAR, who joined Liquid in 2022 as one of the top entry fraggers in the scene, struggled to maintain his individual performance after transitioning to the in-game leader (IGL) role in mid-2023. Initially brought in to bolster Liquid’s firepower, the Latvian rifler’s transition to leadership came after the departure of Nick "nitr0" Cannella.
However, the move did not yield the desired results, as Liquid’s performance declined sharply. Despite relinquishing IGL duties to Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken and later Casper "cadiaN" Møller during subsequent roster iterations, YEKINDAR was unable to recover his form.
Liquid make yet another roster change!
Liquid’s decision to replace YEKINDAR comes on the heels of their quarter-final finish at the Perfect World CS2 Major in Shanghai. The result capped off a season of steady improvement since the team underwent significant changes during the summer off-season, adding Roland "ultimate" Tomkowiak, Justin "jks" Savage, and coach Torbjørn "mithR" Nyborg. Twistzz’s transition to IGL has also provided newfound structure to the team.
Twistzz expressed his excitement about the addition of NertZ:
officially added chill Guy to our roster Okay now being serious, extremely happy to have @NertzCS part of the team. It was not the first time I went on a search for him, very good Christmas present https://t.co/qaWgSSHx5A
— Russel van Dulken (@Twistzz) January 6, 2025
NertZ, known for his aggressive rifling and high-impact plays, is expected to bring a fresh dynamic to Liquid. However, his arrival raises questions about the team’s in-game roles.
With NertZ not traditionally filling an entry-fragging role, it appears likely that jks will step into that position. The Australian veteran has experience in the role, most notably during FaZe Clan’s IEM Katowice victory in 2022, where he served as a stand-in.
This roster change also presents an opportunity for Liquid to explore qualification for future Majors through the Asian region, as they now feature two players from the Asia-Pacific region, alongside two North Americans and one European.
With the conclusion of said move, Team Liquid's roster for the upcoming season is as follows:
- Keith "NAF" Markovic
- Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken (IGL)
- Justin "jks" Savage
- Roland "ultimate" Tomkowiak
- Guy "NertZ" Iluz
- Torbjørn "mithR" Nyborg (Coach)
- Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis (Benched)
With NertZ on board, Liquid aims to reclaim their spot as a top contender in CS2, building on recent progress and addressing the gaps in their lineup. Fans and analysts alike will watch closely to see how the Israeli rifler fits into the new system.
What do you think about this shuffle? Will NertZ provide more firepower, or will the additional role switches cause yet more troubles for Team Liquid?