In this final week of the VCT EMEA Stage 1 group stage, Team Vitality fulfilled their part of the task in their pursuit of a Playoffs spot by defeating PCIFIC Esports 2–0 and delivering a dominant 13–0 victory on Split. Despite this result, the French side no longer controls its own destiny following last week’s loss and must now await the outcome of the match between GIANTX and Eternal Fire, hoping for a victory from the latter to secure qualification in the Playoffs.
As both fans and players turn their attention to the decisive matches at the end of the week, Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev shared his thoughts with Sheep Esports on his team’s performance in Stage 1 of VCT EMEA.
What is your first feeling after the game?
Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev: “I am happy that we won again. We had a good start and it was a bit rough in the middle. We at least came out on a positive note and got 13-0. So at least with that I'm happy.
Are you satisfied with the way you played today compared to the last weeks?
Derke: Yes. It could have been better in a lot of things, especially on Haven, but I feel like we reset in a lot of situations way better than on Haven, it felt like it just went past, we didn't really dwell on anything, so that felt good and today playing was actually just fun.
Despite today’s result your team is actually still with two wins and three losses, so you are waiting for the result of GIANTX to know if you will be in the playoffs or not. Did you expect to struggle a bit with the addition of Ștefan "Sayonara" Mîtcu before Stage 1 began?
Derke: Not really. It was still a question like how we're going to play with Sayonara and stuff because we didn't really have much time with him. Still, even though we played with him in the off-season and then before stage 1 a little bit with the EMEA Clash and whatever, you never know if it's going to be good or not.
Also I don't think it was up to him anyway I think we had a lot of issues in which it's like some people made it worse. For me, there has been a lot of issues I've been making kind of like for our gameplay or whatever and I feel like I kind of started noticing or just like understanding what am I doing wrong with this team.
It feels weird but when you go through a lot of teams or rosters, the dynamic changes a lot and I feel like I didn't find how I need to fit in properly with this roster and stuff because every player has their own characteristics. For example, I used to be very vocal in Fnatic or in some rosters, in other ones, I used to be quiet. In this one, I feel like it’s better for me to stay quiet and let the other do the talking while I just focus on my game and try to listen or correct people.
What have been the main issues for the team according to you?
Derke: Communication was a big one, then the second one was just indecisiveness and not understanding how to calm it down. And I think we fixed it by giving Jampii (Elias Olkkonen) more a kind of freedom, I'd say, or kind of like more voice and just calming it down and just listen to him fully.
Even though it might take some extra time or some player might know a little bit better in the situation or wants to do something, it's better to take one step backwards and just listen to him completely and then play. Everyone is really vocal and everyone's experienced enough to do their own part in the game, but I think we haven't grown together yet as much to be more individualistic.
Last week for example, you lost against BBL with a last round on Breeze that looks really messy from the outside, where you failed to plant the spike and lost the map on it, do you feel like it’s symbolic and it shows the troubles you are having with coordination or communication in your team?
Derke: Yes, that's why we were making it really hectic in some situations. That was the perfect example where people are indecisive but also everyone wants to do something and there's no coordination. So now it's easier if people just take their time in talking to each other and just give more voice to Jamppi or to someone who's dead and can kind of lead it from outside a little bit.
To be honest, every game we lost, even though they might have played better or a lot better than us, we also made it way harder for ourselves. And a lot of teams that we played against, scores were close. Against Fnatic, scores were close, BBL's score on the second map was 13-10, even against Eternal Fire. We make it so much harder for ourselves that sometimes it's so hard to convert the rounds or fight back.
How would you say the atmosphere is in the team right now? Do you feel like your teammates are a bit under pressure to perform or feel like they should do better? Do you feel like all the players are still on the same page and keep their composure?
Derke: Everyone now is on the same page and keeping their composure. I really don't know how people handle pressure because I don't feel any pressure but when you go on the server, nobody knows how you're actually feeling it. And sometimes it's hard for players to actually describe their feelings or whatever and even if they say “yeah I felt under pressure, tilted, stressed and anything” it's so hard to find a reason for that. But I think so far we didn't have that.
One thing that I liked about this team a lot is that every time we lose we work harder and try to win. Last week we played but we still fell short and there's another issue popping out. We fixed that and now I feel like against Pacific we kind of started being ourselves more again and just playing the game and not feeling as much pressure or at least knowing how to deal with it.
If GIANTX wins on Friday you're eliminated from Stage 1, would you say it would be a major disappointment for your team if you had to be knocked out in the group stage during this Stage 1?
Derke: Yes, it will be a disappointment for every player, coach, and fans, because with this team, everyone expected us to do better. We expected better from ourselves, but I think right now it's not in our hands, and I'm not feeling stressed right now. I don't think I'll be very stressed for the GIANTX game.
I'll be real, my brother is coming on Friday. I just want to go outside with him and to not think about the game at all and just have one full rest day when I'm not touching the computer and just enjoy my day. Maybe GX loses and we're in playoffs, maybe not, but even though it will be a disappointment, we did it to ourselves. We can't really be disappointed. I can't decide fate anymore.
If you’d qualify for the Playoffs, do you feel like your team is still in the right place to complete your objectives and to qualify for London now?
Derke: If we qualify for the playoffs, I think we will do better than in the regular season. We will still have weeks of preparation for the playoffs if we do qualify and I think that week will do good for us and just finishing the regular season might help us a lot with the confidence issues and I think trust and everything will rise up. So I think it will help us a lot if we get to play as a team and this can finish and I do think we will do better than regular. We just have to see.
It's just a really annoying position and I've been in this position last year where you kind of have to pray for another team to give you a pass to the playoffs. But it's not over yet and even though we might get straight into the lower bracket or maybe even third place if we do get into the playoffs, we have to do most of it, practice hard and play our game and just have no regrets. And I think even if in playoffs it will be hard for us, as long as we just fight back we're still good enough to compete with the good teams.”
