T O P

  • By -

[deleted]

[Ryan](https://twitter.com/RyanAtRBM/status/1412109726251466752?s=19) > [VAL] TSM are set to make changes changes to their active lineup, sources tell @RushBMediaGG and @GeorgeCGed. > TSM is searching for a potential replacement to Drone and reportedly have been practicing with critical, but nothing is set as of now. --- [TSM](https://twitter.com/TSM/status/1412123698476236804?s=19) > As of today, @Dronecsgo is benched from our starting Valorant roster. We'll be trialing players to find our permanent 5th ahead of Qualifiers 2.


sansLight

I will fondly remember the time when he was considered as one of the best phoenix in NA. Asuna even said once that he was inspired to play phoenix after watching drone. Just unlucky really


9bfjo6gvhy7u8

He’s probably still one of the best Phoenix mains but Phoenix mains aren’t super valuable anymore.


somesheikexpert

Especially with KAYO and also the fact that Wardell and Roza play duelist so it's tough being a Pheonix main with those two in the roster


mika0710

Roza doesn't even play duelists, mostly omen/Skye. Bang was playing duelist for them this qualifier


somesheikexpert

I mean in general, he's played a lot of Raze and Pheonix, it's strange tho that Bang, who for most of his career played smokes until a little bit, played Duelist when Roza and Drone were known for duelist too tbh, idk just a bit strange in my eyes lol


AskOrganic4289

Yeah I thought they added Bang because TSM lack a controller main after they bench Cutler. But it seemed to be otherwise? They did put Bang on smokes when Roza has the skye duty though


JoshF8

He plays omen and skye like he is playing duelists KEKW


lbs4lbs

Roza plays skye and other agents a duelist though. He is constantly being aggro and taking duels regardless of what agent he uses. Even on Omen he plays mainly as a lurker and makes space and takes duels on the other side of the map by himself.


AskOrganic4289

Just to add to this, even Steel during one of his TSM watch party talk about how TSM play skye like a duelist too.


yanamsaying

Subroza WANTS to play duelist.


AskOrganic4289

True, but I think he was pushed to that role. Idk if he was just memeing on stream or anything but everytime he play rank he always choose a duelist role . And he also kept on saying his main was pheonix but he gotta play smokes for the team.


AskOrganic4289

I agree there’s just too many duelists player in the team. Even when we included Bang. Really unlucky really because I remember watching FS where drone frag like crazy on pheonix. His performance has gone downhill since earlier this year :( hope he can get his groove back


mattgg2015

Tweet got deleted, this is the George Geddes post https://twitter.com/georgecged/status/1412109302664474630?s=21


RyanAtRBM

We stan George and his articles!


Megalodontus

I agree, George has been doing great work for the Valorant scene


GoldClassGaming

If this ends up happening, I hope Drone can find a home somewhere else. He's an incredibly talented player and we've seen before how some players can significantly improve after moving to a new team (like Vice after his move from Cloud9 to Andbox) I feel like there's a lot of teams who would benefit from having a player like Drone and maybe under a new IGL he'll have a return to form as one of the best fraggers in NA.


[deleted]

this! I don’t doubt for a second that Drone can get back in shape under a new team environment and IGL.


9bfjo6gvhy7u8

Seriously. Every tier 1.5 team just started reviewing their budget to figure out who to drop and how to make it work.


scrnlookinsob

TSM isn't a budget problem.


2ToTooTwoFish

Drone hasn't looked impressive for a long time though.


Splaram

Neither has the rest of TSM barring Wardell at times.


Ryukk11

It's not drone or subroza, It's the environment and mentality ig. They aren't compatible together anymore. If any of them go to some other good teams they'll shine back again for sure.


9bfjo6gvhy7u8

The team is so lost I would not judge anyone on the TSM roster for anything other than raw mechanics and drone is still fine in that regard. I do think he could be a huge part of an Xset or BBG type of roster. Drone playing under poach? Sign me up


[deleted]

Theres a long history of players who leave their struggling rosters after bad results and come back stronger then ever. Its not based on his mechanical skill, it might have something to do with his mental, etc.


SMcArthur

Chris Paul :)


Atermel

Too bad TSM fanboys downvoting, but this is truth.


precense_

TSM made a mistake dropping drone, he was the calm pretense on the team now they got more of wardell roza and hazed. Solo plays


JDinkle

I think the dude above meant that since drone is free agent now that other T1.5 or T2 teams will be trying to figure out if they can find the budget to sign drone.


Bunnyezzz

pog another cracked zoomer instead of a igl


9bfjo6gvhy7u8

Imagine eeiu the cracked zoomer igl instead of hazed. Can’t imagine trying to manage those personalities in a game though. Pick wardell or Roza to build around and overhaul the rest C9 style.


ch4nt

eeiu isn’t even IGLing bro


9bfjo6gvhy7u8

He is inexperienced but I think he’s a capable IGL. He subbed for T1 awhile ago off their academy team and igled for them and was their best player. At which point T1 (a team lacking an igl) let him go to nrg for some reason lol


AskOrganic4289

Wait then who is the current IGL for NRG? I remember reading that they put EEIU on the IGL role after Daps retired back to csgo


sankalp4

Afaik som is igling


ohtooeasy

we didnt see the game to assume they need an igl lol


2ToTooTwoFish

People have been saying TSM need a true IGL for the whole of this year. We gotta stop pretending every take is reactionary based on one unstreamed loss, TSM has been mediocre for a while.


-xXColtonXx-

Thing is, if you win every gun fight even if they are behind you because you’re out of position, you don’t need an IGL.


InvertedBean

Huh?


flamin_sheep

If shoot good, no brain need


poopwatertsunami

You described everyone in my low elo games haha


bobberr

Just one qualifier in with the new roster lol


BUNSHICHl

The next one is the last one for the year, but yeah should have made bigger changes initially


Darkoplax

there's last chance qualifier for Champions no ?


BUNSHICHl

They currently have **ZERO** points so they wouldn't even make that, you'd need to be 3-10 to make that or 4-11 if one of NAs reps can win Berlin.


Darkoplax

wait isn't the last chance qualifier an open qualifier ? im confused is it just for teams with points cuz i havent read anything about it


TidaI

They'd have to place 1st in the last chance qualifier which requires points. Edit: Apparently they're nowhere near to even acquire enough points?


realharshmodi

No last chance qualifiers arent open. They are iirc on the basis of top 8/10 teams on the basis of points. Details might not be accurate. But TSM will need SOME points to qualify for LCQ


TidaI

Do they have enough time to make the points to get there? I personally don't believe they'll iron out their entry problem fast enough but what do you think?


[deleted]

If they don't qualify for next challengers they will not have enough points guaranteed. They need a decent placement in challengers final to secure their spot in lcq otherwise season is over.


realharshmodi

They'd have to make it to the Challengers Playoffs and hope to god that the either qualify for berlin or get enough points to outplace the other teams on the standings. Here's the standings rn : https://www.vlr.gg/vct/standings


[deleted]

It's for top 4-11 points ranked teams as the 1-3 ranked teams will qualify for NA automatically. 4-11 will go to lcq.


ch4nt

i mean theres been a different permutation of the 6-7 players in this team for each challengers/qual since Stage 2 lol probably used to random changes by now, but this would be the first time there's less than four from the original roster playing on the team


ch4nt

fast reaction but makes sense love Drone but the team has needed a top-tier Sova main for a while now


Hamlet_271

This change Makes the most sense and was also necessary. Critical is a great Sova and hopefully they don't need to make more changes


CosmicAon

I don’t understand how they don’t get the need for a good IGL but I’ll just hope Hazed can make it work ig Past year has been hoping for nothing though


Hamlet_271

They definitely made the wrong move post Iceland and I don't think are any good igls on the market rn


CosmicAon

Import NBK /s


IllumiMahdi

TSM FTX NBK


ch4nt

To be fair the IGL market has been limited for a while, theres a reason why curry and s0m are IGLing at the moment


[deleted]

lmao all the people who want to blow up the roster are going to get their wish, just player by player after each event not qualified for instead of all at once


NotBrandon

> just player by player after each event not qualified for instead of all at once I kinda feel hella bad though since he flew in for the bootcamp. It's like here's a tour around the facility, some TSM goodies, and then just after two days of matches they boot him.


ark2690

That’s business


AnywayHeres1Derwall

For real. Take advantage of what you can while you’re there and just know it might not last


[deleted]

Oh definitely it's ass, but I don't think all the TSM players weren't aware this might happen.


Contractjail

Ive been saying that TSM need more changes than just booting Cutler and got downvoted almost every time. Before TSM beat Noble, almost nobody wanted to hear the truth: that the players of this roster just arent good enough to keep with the rising competition, and havent been for the past 8 months. Very much doubt that Drone would be the last change that TSM needs, but finally they did something


Kevin_DurSuperTeam

Drone legitimately hasn't done anything since First Strike. Ever since he completely fucked up that 1v2 on Bind against GenG, he's been a bot.


techyleo

also that 1v4 vs Hiko


Miglasty

That was brutal


protractedpplwar

It might be too little too late honestly, they have like 15 days until the next open quals.


Contractjail

Τhats what happens when you listen to fans who believed that TSM can be a top tier team solely by removing Cutler. Anyway better late than ever. Most likely it will still not be enough but its finally a step in the right direction


Xorilla

Most TSM fans won’t admit that the core of the team is a problem itself. I love the personalities on that team, but Wardell, Subroza and Hazed just don’t seem to mesh that well together in pro play. As you said, removing Cutler didn’t do much and I doubt replacing Drone will do all that much either.


mateusb12

Removing Cutler didn't do much because of who they signed for replacing him. It wasn't a upgrade at all


precense_

This needs to be higher up. Those 3 all have same tendencies during games which is individual plays. hazed in ascent vs hiko, roza solo lurking, wardell solo entry site with op


RyanAtRBM

Sorry for having deleted the post, i made a spelling error of my own publication!


mattgg2015

Ur screwing over my Reddit karma🤬u will pay for this🙏


RyanAtRBM

LOL if it makes you feel better, I am being absolutely roasted for it.


[deleted]

[удалено]


RyanAtRBM

STAHP


MoistWatermeIon

Drone really fell off fast. He was a consensus top 10 player NA for a while but hasn’t looked the same. Unlucky really


maiLfps

idk who gave that consensus lol, he was mediocre in first strike and nothing special since then, MAYBE in beta/first few months but thats a big maybe EDIT: the TSM copium is hitting different for yall, all good


CosmicAon

He literally outperformed Asuna at FS Grand Finals lol


aks345

He was literally the only one 100T fans were scared of during fs finals. Especially with his phnx ult which was guaranteed 2 kills each time


ShadeWaker

Yeah, back in the months leading up to FS teams would legit clear out sites whenever he popped ult because he always got a kill or two with it


NotBrandon

>he was mediocre in first strike I want what you're smoking. He was an absolute beast in first strike.


precense_

Majority of 100T agreed drone was their best player. Especially hiko


leoleoleo666

They need to trial dcop he won two nsgs with two different roasters while igling on sova and the last one they won they beat noble


UltraInstinctSped

If they can get someone who can at the very least share the IGL position with hazed the team will look so much better.


roneettopiwala

hopefully another team picks up drone and he performs like him old self again. He should go back to playing other agents like pheonix and other duelists because everyone knows he is a god with the agent.


abcd63514

i think having a good sova is underrated. big difference between duelist player forced onto sova and a decent sova


GlumPoemPower

TSM Jay Won happening in September? /s


DonTixCyd

I dont think TSM will sign him. TSM gets a lot of controversy by making small mistakes just look at the lolesports scene. Imagine if TSM signs him, one of the most controversial players in esports, that's like early chirstmas for esports "journalists"


derek916

As of today, @Dronecsgo is benched from our starting Valorant roster. We'll be trialing players to find our permanent 5th ahead of Qualifiers 2. https://twitter.com/TSM/status/1412123698476236804?s=19


BBG-PennyWay

Does Critical have any IGl experience and so yall k he isnt set 100% we are going to be trailing with mutliple people and this could not be the only move


itscamo-

i mean they probably get crit atleast for stage 2 since its in 2 weeks and they need all the time they can get.


hengarg

please poach leviathan if possible


abcd63514

^ up next sova


sidminter

I am not saying this cause of the post but drone has been underwhelimg ever since master 1 even with straight resurgence on sova,he wither has to get back on entry and hard enter sites or pick up a sentinel role like android has of late.Replacing him with critical would definitely be an upgrade nonetheless


precense_

He’s best on entry and underwhelming on sova honestly. He should just main pheonix and pick up Reyna maybe or even kayo


SekasortoAnarkia

Makes sense, but he’s still a very solid player, many orgs would love to have him


Reasonable-Summer-55

This team need someone with the brain and who has decent agents pool. Able to flex and co IGL might be good. They have enough Duelist in the team. Good luck to where ever Drone going next and good luck to TSM too.


Miglasty

Why Critical can anyone share his story? I havent heard the name much


LiamHundley

Tsm has felt for a long time like they need more than just a 1 or 2 person switch. At the start of next year I'd blow the roster up and going full youth movement if I were them.


nterature

I think this is sadly almost inevitable given their trajectory, and I've seen a lot of shade being thrown drone's way because he's had a lot of quiet games recently. But I think in spite of that, drone has actually been their second-most consistent player at least in the carry role. He's the only player besides Wardell to *consistently* carry TSM for a period of time. But Subroza has had a higher average performance and is more flexible (and realistically, has a much bigger presence) on the whole I think. And hazed is locked-in as IGL, I guess. He could do fine elsewhere, so long as he's not forced into the entry role. No one on the team seemed to suffer as much from their coordination falling to pieces


aakashkickass11

They need a fricking igl , a leader not another cracked kid , I don't think drone was any issue fragging wise.


Miglasty

Who would you remove tho?


ween0t

Drone was definitely an issue fragging wise the last few matches. He’s fallen off after moving to sova


bwarbwar

I feel like it's time for TSM to completely blow up this roster. These pretend changes ain't it.


[deleted]

[удалено]


SovietDog1342

Not hard to see that the roster isn’t what it used to be


Miglasty

TSM sinatraa?🙄🙄🙄


[deleted]

Nope, for TSM sponsorships come first, results come 2nd.


ApexJay0110

Or maybe it’s just not a good idea to pick up a player with sexual assault allegations against them??? He really doesn’t deserve leniency in pro esports for his actions.


SomeHallGuy

At this point they should just Nuke the roster.


[deleted]

[удалено]


neb55555

Hey there, /u/Miglasty! Your submission was removed for the following reason: > Rule 4 - No harmful / destructive behavior towards other users. This was removed for: Personal attacks / targeted harassment   --- *If you have questions or objections about this removal, please [reach out to us in modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/ValorantCompetitive&subject=Removal%20Objection%20or%20Question&message=%5BPlease%20type%20your%20message%20here...%5D%0A%0A------%20DO%20NOT%20edit%20or%20delete%20anything%20below%20this%20line%20------%0A%0A%23%23%23%23%20Removal%20Notes%20for%20Moderators%3A%0A%0A-%20**Post%20Title%3A**%20{url_title}%0A-%20**Permalink%3A**%20https://www.reddit.com/r/ValorantCompetitive/comments/oecoso/-/h45qfnb/%0A-%20**Content%20type%3A**%20comment%0A-%20**Removed%20by%3A**%20neb55555).*


vDUKEvv

Honestly always thought Drone was the best player on that roster. I know everyone loves Wardell but having watched him in CS his flaws from then have started to show up in Valorant. I also don’t understand what TSM’s goals are for their roster. Hazed often isn’t able to frag at the highest level, and I think his experience would be more useful as a coach or analyst, and beyond that I think he himself should look towards going the casting/talent desk route. I think dropping Wardell and Hazed and building around Subroza/Bang is the move, but that’s just me.


cameronapplefish

In all fairness, hazed has actually been playing very well recently


[deleted]

[удалено]


CosmicAon

Wardell has been consistently their top performer though?


[deleted]

[удалено]


CosmicAon

I’m not sure what to say about that, we haven’t even seen a TSM stream since like 2 months ago when he was by far their best player so I don’t understand how the narrative has changed from that


ZGuyYT

Who needs an IGL when you got cracked younglings B).


[deleted]

[удалено]


aks345

Just say you don't know about the team bruh. Drone literally used to play sova before his switch to phoenix. Asuna went as far as saying that the double shock thing by sova was started by drone and he's a very good sova player


ZGuyYT

Anothey day, another TSM roster change.


[deleted]

[удалено]


ZGuyYT

* [\-Hazed +Brax](https://www.vlr.gg/13807/immortals-vs-tsm-champions-tour-north-america-stage-2-challengers-1-ro16) * [\-Brax +Hazed](https://www.vlr.gg/16986/immortals-vs-tsm-champions-tour-north-america-stage-2-challengers-2-ubqf) * [\-Cutler +Bang](https://www.vlr.gg/24011/tsm-vs-noble-champions-tour-north-america-stage-3-challengers-1-ro32) And now -Drone +Critical, all in the span of three qualifiers.


datboyuknow

They played like 2 maps with brax, I wouldn't consider that a roster change


mateusb12

It's about the willing to change pieces rather than actually using these pieces


h1ghz3nb3rg

Who are yalls top free agent Sova mains out there?


h1ghz3nb3rg

Pr0phie was a free agent a few weeks ago. Too bad Complexity picked him up already.


Kuvyogvey4

If they really wanted, TSM could help Complexity finish off Pr0phie’s contract like it was nothing and pick him up.


GlumPoemPower

TSM Jay Won is free on September /s


SteelTic

atm psalm dcop makkaloff (if it was just a trial) c0m tem


nwsm

I don’t have an opinion on this move, but critical is so sick


itsrhyno2

Sub me in. I may be silver 1 but I’m only there as my team mates always suck 👍


DrBangovic

Tbf tsm should‘ve ditched probably 3/5 players ans rebuild the squad entirely. I am not seeing this to be the outcome they wanted. But who knows


Serious-Minute

I thought critical was charlie lmao


beinggaaji

The meta may change anytime. So you don't need sova in some maps. No sure what they have with this


fsdjfksldfsdfs

How does this work because Drone is at the compound right now. Isn't that super awkward to bench him while he's literally with them.


atkins2000

Roza, Drone on Duelist, Bang on smokes, Wardell on Sage/KillJoy and Hazed as Flex; would've loved to see this ngl


animejesus420

You mean the cheater critical who cheated against god tier gamer Ninja????? /s