Astralis would function better without Nicolai “device” Reedtz, and vice versa.

That’s the assessment from Counter-Strike expert Jacob ‘Pimp’ Winneche.

Harsh words, and perhaps a surprising take given that device has been Astralis’ highest-rated player in 2024. Nonetheless, it’s what Pimp told Dust2.dk when asked to give his expert view following Astralis’ MRQ collapse last week.

– Honestly, I think Astralis would be a better team without device, and device would be better off without Astralis. It’s rare for a player of his caliber not to be a significant loss for a team, but with the current lineup, I don’t think it could get much worse. device is great, he’s pure quality, and it’s almost to the point where Astralis doesn’t deserve him. It’s harsh, but at the very least, it’s a compelling thought.

Massive role clashes

In his talk with Dust2.dk, Pimp points to role clashes as a key issue in Astralis, particularly after the addition of Casper ‘cadiaN’ Møller, who was brought in as a rifler instead of taking over the AWP.

– Don’t get me wrong, because device is invaluable and a fantastic player — but when they decided to bet on cadiaN, I think they would have been better off selling device. Astralis is a worse team with the current roster composition than they would have been if they had dared to rediscover a true identity. That’s not to say they should have parted ways with device. But personally, I probably would have gone with HooXi or someone similar instead, provided there was a burning desire to stay fully Danish, Pimp said.

Missing the Major

Astralis’ disappointing state took another hit last week when the Danish team failed to qualify for the upcoming BLAST.tv Austin Major. At the European Major Regional Qualifier, cadiaN and company fell at the final hurdle, suffering a decisive loss to B8.

The result continues a worrying trend for the Danish organization, having now missed the last five Majors in a row.