Falcons AWPer Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov has admitted that the team are currently not among the main title contenders despite winning a Major earlier this year. Speaking to HotSpawn ahead of BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 2, he discussed the team’s recent struggles, the impact of Finn “karrigan” Andersen, and the individual form of Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin.
Falcons enter the tournament following another disappointing result at IEM Beijing 2026, where they were eliminated by NAVI. With PGL Major Singapore approaching, m0NESY believes the team need to improve their discipline and consistency before they can return to championship contention.
m0NESY admits Falcons are not title contenders
When asked about the difference between the team that won the Major and its current form, m0NESY explained that the arrival of karrigan initially brought several successful changes. However, opponents have since had more opportunities to study Falcons and prepare for their playstyle.
The AWPer also agreed with Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, who previously questioned whether Falcons could currently compete for titles. m0NESY acknowledged that the team have lowered their immediate expectations and are now focusing on reaching the playoffs and correcting their mistakes.
Definitely, we are not title contenders at the moment, but we always believe in ourselves. We always believe that we can do it. Right now, our expectations are a little bit not as before. We expect ourselves to at least qualify to the playoffs and, obviously, just to practice more, to improve the things that are not working, to improve the discipline on the server, because the last game against NAVI showed we are not there.
He added that Falcons had limited time to practice before arriving in Hong Kong but would have a longer preparation period ahead of PGL Major Singapore.
m0NESY defends kyousuke amid inconsistent performances
Another topic was the individual form of kyousuke, whose recent statistics have been less consistent compared with his performances earlier in the season. Asked whether the change in leadership or the player’s own form was responsible, m0NESY declined to identify a single reason.
Instead, he explained that difficult periods are a normal part of a professional career and recalled experiencing similar problems himself.
I’m not sure. I think every player in his career has not the best period. Even me, I had not the best period in 2025, if I’m not mistaken. So sometimes it’s just about the timing, about the period, because Maxim said as well that he wasn’t in the best individual form. So maybe it could be because of that.
m0NESY also addressed the challenges of competing at the highest level at a young age. Drawing on his own early career, he believes that additional experience will help kyousuke become more comfortable with his responsibilities.
Obviously, at this age, I didn’t have a lot of experience. And I think he also needs more experience, not only in his roles but also as a player. So I think just more experience. This is the most important thing.
m0NESY discusses karrigan and zonic
The interview also covered the additional freedom and responsibility m0NESY has received under karrigan. He explained that he is comfortable making aggressive decisions and contributing to mid-round calls when he sees an opportunity to help the team.
According to m0NESY, these responsibilities were already part of his gameplay before karrigan joined Falcons. He also addressed the relationship between the captain and head coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen, saying he had not noticed any significant disagreements between them.
No. They didn’t have this. I didn’t notice. I think they’re on the same page. They can also speak the same language, so it’s kind of easier for them to make a deal. Even if they’re going to argue, I think they will come to the point pretty fast.
m0NESY believes their previous experience working together helps them communicate and resolve differences. He also confirmed that Falcons are not currently practicing Cache, despite his personal interest in the map.
Falcons prepare for Vitality and Singapore Major
Falcons will face Vitality in their opening match at BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 2 on November 11. When asked about the matchup, m0NESY expressed confidence and said he was looking forward to playing against the team.
The tournament will also serve as another opportunity to identify problems before PGL Major Singapore. Although Falcons have not had much time to practice since IEM Beijing, m0NESY expects the team to make further adjustments before the Major.
Right now, this tournament, we didn’t have a lot of time to practice before Hong Kong, but definitely we will have a lot of time to practice before the Singapore Major.
Falcons will attempt to regain their previous form during the final stretch of the season. For m0NESY, the immediate priority remains improving discipline, addressing mistakes and rebuilding the consistency that helped the team win the Major earlier in 2026.
