Former Astralis Coach Explains Why Team Falcons Need Time Before karrigan Can Thrive in CS2

Team Falcons may already be reaching grand finals in CS2, but former Astralis coach Martin “trace” Heldt believes the roster still needs time before fans can see the real version of Finn “karrigan” Andersen.

The veteran in-game leader joined Falcons earlier this year, immediately becoming one of the biggest talking points in professional Counter-Strike 2. While the team has shown promising results, criticism surrounding karrigan’s individual level continues to grow after several difficult performances at top-tier tournaments.

trace Defends karrigan Amid Falcons Criticism

Speaking about Falcons’ current form, trace said it is too early to judge karrigan harshly because the team is still adapting to a completely new structure.

According to the former Astralis coach, karrigan is currently balancing too many responsibilities inside the server, which directly affects his fragging performance. Trace added that Falcons first need to “settle in” before the Danish captain can show his true level in CS2.

His comments came shortly after analyst Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg criticized karrigan’s mechanics, claiming the veteran’s individual level is no longer strong enough to consistently win tier-one Counter-Strike tournaments.

The criticism intensified after Falcons lost back-to-back grand finals despite entering both events as serious title contenders.

Falcons Reach Two CS2 Finals With karrigan

Since adding karrigan to the roster, Team Falcons have already reached the grand finals of two major CS2 events:

• PGL Astana 2026
• CS Asia Championships 2026

However, the team failed to convert either run into a trophy.

Falcons suffered a 0-3 defeat against Team Spirit in Astana before losing 1-3 to Legacy in the CS Asia Championships final. During those tournaments, karrigan recorded a 0.73 rating, fueling discussions about his current individual form.

Despite the criticism, many fans and analysts still believe the Danish IGL remains one of the smartest tactical leaders in Counter-Strike history.

karrigan Responds to Falcons’ Struggles

Karrigan has also addressed the team’s disappointing finals losses publicly.

After Falcons’ recent defeat, the Danish captain admitted the roster still has major issues to solve but remained confident about the future. He stated that the team would eventually “find the right formula to win.”

The veteran also acknowledged his own shortcomings, saying he can perform much better individually while continuing to improve Falcons’ in-game system.

zonic and m0NESY Support Falcons Captain

Inside the Falcons camp, support for karrigan remains strong.

Head coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen praised the veteran leader for bringing structure, energy and authority to a roster filled with star players. Meanwhile, young superstar Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov said he feels extremely comfortable playing under karrigan’s system, noting that the calling style fits him perfectly.

Those comments reinforce the idea that Falcons are still developing rather than declining.

Can Team Falcons Become a CS2 Superteam?

With names like m0NESY, zonic and karrigan on the same roster, expectations around Team Falcons remain enormous. The organization assembled one of the most expensive and ambitious CS2 lineups in the world, aiming to dominate the Counter-Strike scene ahead of the next Major cycle.

While early results show promise, the lack of trophies continues to raise questions about whether the roster can truly become the dominant CS2 superteam many expected.

For now, trace believes patience is the key. Falcons may already be close to winning titles, but according to the former Astralis coach, the team still has not reached its real level yet.