Astralisryuphzy
phzy's Rating at BLAST Bounty S21.27
"I like hearing people point out where I made mistakes and things like that. That's how you improve, right? So I think it's fine, but yeah, maybe it's a bit too much," he admitted.
"Perhaps I've become a bit too passive. It's not necessarily fear, but rather a subconscious fear."
He also discussed the team's mindset, his own map-to-map performance fluctuations, and his expectations for Saturday's semifinals.
Q: Congratulations. It was quite a long match with a lot of overtime. How do you feel after finally securing this victory?
phzy: It feels really good, and I think it's the same for my confidence. Being able to start taking a bit of control on the third map is awesome. I just hope to get back into form, as the past few months have been quite tough for me. So yeah, it feels really good, and I'm feeling hopeful as well.
Q: Regarding your form, HooXi said in a livestream interview that he had been too harsh on you previously. What do you think about that?
phzy: Yeah, maybe. I like hearing people point out where I made mistakes and stuff like that; that's how you improve, right? So I think it's fine, but yeah, maybe it's a bit too much. Maybe I've become a bit too passive—not necessarily out of fear, but more of a subconscious fear, if that makes sense. So maybe he did hit on something, I don't know.
Q: Especially during Cologne, we saw some TeamSpeak clips where there was a bit of, maybe not exactly getting heated at each other, but definitely some frustration between you. Considering you've signed a new sports psychologist, is this something you've really been trying to improve, especially during this offseason? Is it a major focus?
phzy: Yes, this is something we are working to improve, but at the same time we are also pursuing more stability, because I feel that last season we had very high peaks and very low valleys. I think the two somewhat complement each other. So yes, both aspects are a major focus.
Q: You seem to be the type of player who really enjoys certain maps but struggles a bit on others. For example, your Rating on Nuke is quite low, while it's very high on Inferno, which is a bit unusual for an AWPer. Is this something you're working on improving?
phzy: Yes, I think so. In my previous teams, Inferno has always been one of our must-pick maps. But yes, that's something I've realized, and it's also something we're working on, especially with our analyst MiGHTYMAX.
Sometimes it's hard to give a clear answer, especially for Nuke, I think, because overall my T-side is stronger, and Nuke can feel a bit like an NPC for T-side snipers. It's mostly about executing set plays, throwing utility, dropping down the ladder into Lobby, holding angles early, and defending against your push up Ramp. I think there are many ways to look at it.
Q: You also signed a new coach during the off-season, and everyone is talking about how you want to return to the playstyle from the beginning of the year. What is the biggest thing NEO has brought to the team?
phzy: So far, he has brought a lot of positive attitude and a great atmosphere. We haven't worked together much yet, but obviously he has also done more, such as contributing tactics during the bootcamp. Especially on Cache, having another veteran to look at this map is great, since it hasn't been in the map pool for a long time. I think everything has been pretty good so far, and it feels really nice to have him with us.
Q: I'd like to ask about the ongoing draft. Since this interview will be released after the draft, you can reveal who you plan to pick. How are you feeling about tomorrow's matchup?
phzy: I'm not entirely sure. I think we'll pick MOUZ, but honestly, I'd rather play against Spirit. I feel they're a really good matchup for me, especially considering the playstyle I want as a sniper. Even though each of them has incredibly strong individual skills, they can sometimes be very predictable because they want to play good CS and lean towards default setups. And I think that's exactly where the AWP can really shine and take over the game.
But the match against Spirit will start around 12:00, so we might have to wake up at 8:00 or 9:00. And considering finishing a match so late, chugging Red Bull, and everything it takes to win a three-map series that goes into overtime, I honestly think it's just impossible. So we'll likely pick MOUZ. I think they look a bit shaky, which is understandable given they have some new players, but we'll wait and see.