Team Liquid’s Melbourne momentum halts after IEM Dallas downturn

Just a few weeks ago, things were looking oh so promising for Team Liquid. IGL siuhy had taken them to the Playoffs of IEM Melbourne, and it seemed as though their fortunes had been turned around in a startlingly short space of time. As it turns out, we were all simply bearing witness to a classic Counter-Strike honeymoon period. Team Liquid have been dumped out of contention from IEM Dallas 2025 after just three matches, failing to show anything resembling the form we saw from the team down under a few weeks back.

There has to be a reason for what was a steep and sudden drop-off, though. They lost to both MOUZ and Aurora, which is admittedly a tough draw en route to the Playoffs, but even still, the team showed few signs of life along the way, losing in very convincing fashion. There are some obvious culprits.

Slow starts are giving Team Liquid mountains to climb

Over their four lost maps at IEM Dallas 2025 against MOUZ and Aurora, Team Liquid have won a combined 13 rounds out of an available 48. It’s safe to say that they’re generally slow starters, but the frustration comes with the fact that in the second halves, they have generally been competitive against their opponents. If they had been faster out of the gate, it’s entirely possible that they’d have been able to transform their fortunes in these second halves, giving themselves a fighting chance at IEM Dallas.

As it stands, they’re giving themselves a mountain to climb in just about every game, and at this level, you’ll only get punished for that type of thing. Team Liquid might still beat the teams they’re supposed to be winning against comfortably, but these kinds of numbers inevitably put a hard cap on your ceiling.

Individual inconsistency plagues Team Liquid

It has long been a massive problem for Team Liquid that inconsistency runs rampant throughout the roster. It’s an utter scourge on their chances at every event – one minute, they’re taking to the stage at IEM Melbourne 2025, only to be grouped at the next opportunity.

There’s no doubt that the individuals are finding it tough to step up. Take ultimate, for example. With fellow Pole siuhy joining the lineup with a reputation for being an “AWPer’s IGL,” hopes were high that ultimate could take a real step up on this roster. Yet at IEM Dallas 2025, his final rating sits at a measly 0.90. Even NertZ is having a tough time, having posted a tough 1.00 rating throughout the same event. Only Twistzz, at 1.13, can say his rating is one of a winning team.

It’s always hard to quantify rating without knowing the internal workings of the team. But it’s fair to suggest you don’t want your AWPer to average 0.90. Another point that may not be helping the individual level on Team Liquid is the bizarre coach situation. After parting ways with mithR earlier in the year, rather than bringing in a known quantity coach alongside siuhy, the team placed their faith in unknown analyst DeMars DeRover to step up in the interim.

Besides DeMars DeRover having perhaps the coolest name of all time, I’m unsure of his credentials to coach a top-level Counter-Strike team. That isn’t a criticism of him, by the way. It would be grossly unfair to judge someone’s performance in a job they’re not supposed to be doing and one they didn’t sign up for. I’m sure he’s an excellent analyst. But if you’re pinpointing the problems for Team Liquid right now, the lack of a “real” coach has to be somewhere on the list.

Now, Team Liquid have a chance to lick their wounds ahead of the BLAST.tv Austin Major. There’s a lot riding on their performance in Austin, and it could still determine the future of several on this lineup.