NAVI face roster questions after another early CS2 exit

Natus Vincere exited BLAST Open Fall 2026 without placing above ninth, its third straight event in which the team did not finish higher than ninth. The analysis characterizes this as the most severe downturn among tier-one teams this year following the roster break.

IEM Atlanta 2026 was NAVI’s most recent successful tournament. During that title run, the team played GamerLegion twice as well as Legacy, Team Vitality, and BETBOOM TEAM. The analysis says that only Vitality among those opponents belonged to the highest tier.

Since June, NAVI have not defeated Team Spirit, G2 Esports, or Team Falcons, according to the analysis. It identifies the map pool and individual player form as the main problems before the team’s September and October events.

The report contrasts NAVI’s recent results against lower-tier opposition with its losses to comparable opponents. It does not present a confirmed roster move, but it says repeated disappointing finishes have led supporters and club management to consider possible changes.

The timing is significant within the documented calendar. Major events are not imminent, while PGL Major Singapore 2026 is stated to be two and a half months away. The analysis considers that period long enough for trials, practice, and initial official matches if NAVI choose to alter either its preparation or lineup.

Coach Andrey B1ad3 Gorodensky is described as having one more opportunity to restore the roster’s results. The same analysis is skeptical that a rapid improvement will occur, while identifying the next events as a practical test of the current group.

Map-pool changes have complicated NAVI’s preparation

NAVI have not banned the recently introduced Cache, which the analysis interprets as evidence that the team is preparing the map. That work would differ from the approach associated with B1ad3’s previous lineups, which played six maps and maintained one permanent ban rather than spreading preparation across every option.

At the last three tournaments, NAVI changed their first ban according to the opponent. Overpass was their opening ban against G2, The Mongolz, Legacy, and Team Spirit. Dust2 filled that role against G2, paiN Gaming, and Legacy, while Cache was banned against M80 and The Mongolz. Nuke was used as the first ban against Team 3DMAX and Falcons.

The analysis argues that this opponent-specific approach has increased the team’s workload. It recalls that B1ad3’s teams previously accepted playing opponents’ stronger maps while remaining comfortable across the rest of the pool. The report suggests that the coach could return to methods used during his two Major-winning runs and seek assistance with match preparation.

• Overpass was NAVI’s first ban four times across the cited recent matches: against G2, The Mongolz, Legacy, and Team Spirit.
• Dust2 was the first ban three times: against G2, paiN Gaming, and Legacy.
• Cache was the first ban twice, against M80 and The Mongolz; Nuke was also the first ban twice, against Team 3DMAX and Falcons.

The second issue identified in the report concerns results on the server, particularly the recent output of Drin “makazze” Shakiri and in-game leader Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen. Aleksib recorded a 0.84 rating at the latest events, a figure the analysis treats with some context because he has not been known for highlight-heavy output.

Makazze’s form receives stronger criticism in the report. He has been part of NAVI’s main roster for a year and represented the club’s academy from 2023 before that. The analysis therefore says that inexperience is becoming a less persuasive explanation for his performances.

Across four cited losses to G2, M80, Legacy, and 3DMAX, makazze recorded 15-21 opening kills on attack. The report also states that his overall rating fell from 1.13 in 2025 to 1 over the last three months. It frames the combination of declining shooting output and poor opening-frag results as a difficult problem for a player expected to create the first advantage for teammates.

Possible changes range from leadership to riflers

The analysis outlines two broad options for NAVI: adjust its approach or change the roster. It presents roster changes as increasingly appealing given the time before PGL Major Singapore 2026.

For a captain replacement, the report lists Rodion “fear” Smyk from Fnatic, Aleksei “ALEX666” Yarmoshchuk from B8 Esports, and Vitaliy “sFade8” Marushka from magic. It says all have tier-two experience and would suit B1ad3’s system. It also notes a possible issue involving sFade8 as a Ukrainian player representing a Russian organization.

If NAVI keep Aleksib and replace a rifler, the analysis names David “frozen” Čerňanský of FaZe Clan, Victor “Staehr” Staehr of Astralis, and Nikita “HeavyGod” Martynenko of G2 Esports. It says a possible transfer involving frozen and NAVI has been discussed since 2025, whereas Staehr and HeavyGod have fewer stated incentives to move. Working with B1ad3 is cited as a possible consideration.

Lavrentiy “lauNX” Tsyrlea, a former FUT Esports rifler, is also named as a potential option. The report says NAVI could consider a FUT transfer only if it sought to buy lauNX. It adds that the former NAVI academy is playing better and more consistently than NAVI, so the analysis does not treat that direction as realistic.

NAVI’s next documented appearances are StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026, ESL Pro League Season 24, and PGL Masters Bucharest 2026, all scheduled for September and October. The analysis states that poor results at even a couple of those events would make the organization likely to begin seeking lineup improvements.

For now, the evidence supports discussion rather than a confirmed change. NAVI’s recent placement record, shifting first bans, and the cited statistics for Aleksib and makazze form the basis for the report’s assessment that B1ad3 must improve the team’s results in the upcoming events.