w33 is a "real coup" for Team Liquid ahead of the EPICENTER Major in Moscow, according to Redeye.
Aliwi "w33" Omar was announced by Team Liquid as MATUMBAMAN's replacement just two days before the final major of the Dota Pro Circuit season.
And Esports broadcaster and Luckbox ambassador Paul "Redeye" Chaloner thinks the 24-year-old is a great signing.
Redeye said: "It feels like not everything has been right in that Liquid team throughout the season, certainly not as well as it was in the previous season and certainly not when they won The International - TI7.
"There's definitely been some issues there. They seem to have parted in reasonably good company and to get a player of w33haa's quality into the team is a real coup for them.
"Many might look at it and think, 'Was there anyone else better around?' and that's a fair argument but I think he's a very good fit for this team. He's bubbly, he's energetic, he's a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.
"I think he fits that KuroKy mould of a player who fits into the team and gets on with the other players. I think Kuro, more than most other captains, values that highly.
"He's certainly got the skill, w33haa, put in the right circumstances, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he turns out it Team Liquid."
Team Liquid's challenge
MATUMBAMAN's exit disrupted what had been one of the most stable rosters in Dota 2, as Team Liquid made their first change since 2016.
It is far from ideal preparation ahead of the EPICENTER Major in Moscow, which gets under way on Saturday, June 22nd, but Redeye believes Liquid fans still have reasons to be optimistic.
He said: "In terms of expectations for the team, it's quite difficult to see how they go that far in the tournament, effectively, with a stand-in. They won't have had that much time to prep and we know historically it's very difficult for teams to do that.
"That said, I think back to NIP at the first Major of the season and they got top four with a stand-in (MinD_ContRoL) and you can say that maybe a stand-in doesn't matter that much, so if Team Liquid finish in the top four it wouldn't surprise me. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it pans out."
Team Liquid are favourites at 1.51 to get their EPICENTER Major campaign off to a win over Gambit in Group B. Team Liquid vs Gambit is due to start at 12pm CEST.
Picture: Dota 2 Pro / YouTube
