Team Falcons in CS2: Why One More Star Still Isn’t Enough

February 09, 2026
Counter-Strike 2
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Team Falcons in CS2: Why One More Star Still Isn’t Enough

Team Falcons in CS2: Roster Overview

Team Falcons entered Counter-Strike 2 with one clear strategy: outspend and outgun the competition. Backed by serious resources and already boasting success across other esports, the Saudi organization has never hidden its intention to build superteams. Two back-to-back Esports World Cup Club Championships proved they can assemble star-studded lineups, but CS2 has exposed a harsh truth: buying firepower isn’t the same as building a functioning roster.

The current Falcons CS2 core has some of the biggest names in the scene, including Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and rising star Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin. On paper, it looks like a championship-winning squad. On the server, it often looks like five players pulling in slightly different directions.

This is where the community meme of “One more star” comes in. Every time Falcons stumble in a big tournament, social media responds with the same sarcastic solution: just sign another superstar. But underneath the jokes is a serious roster construction issue that the team has yet to solve.

The “One More Star” Meme and the Reality Behind It

In modern CS2, the idea that you can fix every problem with raw firepower is outdated. The “One more star” meme that follows Falcons isn’t just mocking their ambition—it’s pointing straight at their biggest weakness: they keep stacking aggressive star riflers instead of building a balanced system.

Fans spam the meme whenever Falcons lose a man-advantage round, throw away a 5v2, or fail to close out a map they should win. The suggestion is always the same: if only they had just one more star, everything would be fine. But the reality is almost the opposite. Falcons don’t need another star; they need role clarity, structure, and a true support/anchor profile that allows their existing stars to shine.

The irony is that the joke is half-true. Falcons probably do need one more player—just not the type they usually sign. They need a player who is comfortable not being the main character, someone who specializes in the dirty work, anchoring small sites, playing late-round clutches from uncomfortable positions, and letting NiKo and kyousuke take the spotlight.

Why Falcons’ Roster Feels Unbalanced

At the heart of Falcons’ issue is a simple problem: too many aggressive players, not enough passive specialists. When the team added kyousuke to a lineup that already had NiKo and Rene “TeSeS” Madsen, they doubled down on hyperactive riflers who want space, initiative, and favorable roles.

There’s nothing wrong with aggression; the best teams in CS2 often rely on relentless pressure. But aggression has to be supported. You need:

  • A player who anchors thinly defended bombsites.
  • Someone who holds flanks and late-round lurks instead of always looking for multi-kills.
  • Teammates willing to absorb terrible positions to allow star riflers free rein.

Falcons, as they are built today, simply don’t have that natural profile. This forces players like TeSeS and even NiKo into compromised roles, where they are not doing what made them elite in the first place.

How NiKo and kyousuke Shape the Team’s Identity

Any team with NiKo instantly adopts a certain identity. He’s one of the greatest riflers in Counter-Strike history, a player who thrives when he can:

  • Take early map control.
  • Probe dangerous angles for entries.
  • Lead mid-rounds by example with high-impact plays.

Adding kyousuke, a young star who left Team Spirit to escape the shadow of Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, made sense from a pure talent perspective. He’s another aggressive, mechanically gifted rifler with the potential to be a top-10 player in the world. For an organization like Falcons, this type of signing is completely on brand.

The problem is that both NiKo and kyousuke want a lot of resources:

  • Prime positions on both CT and T sides.
  • High priority in mid-round calling and spacing.
  • Systems designed to enable their duels, not restrict them.

In the early months after kyousuke’s arrival, it was clear that Falcons tried to force both stars into comfortable zones at the same time. To make that work, other players had to sacrifice. TeSeS, in particular, ended up being shoved into positions and timings that didn’t suit his strengths.

NiKo has the experience and versatility to survive these shifts. He can still post big numbers even when his roles evolve. But for a player like TeSeS, who historically thrives on specific, well-defined roles, the impact of these changes has been brutal.

TeSeS’ Role Struggles and Rating Drop

Before kyousuke joined, TeSeS quietly put up solid numbers for Falcons. His rating at the start of the year hovered around 1.07 overall, with a strong 1.15 rating on T sides. Those aren’t superstar stats, but they are exactly what you want from a stable, reliable rifler in a team full of talent.

After kyousuke stepped into the lineup, the story changed dramatically. The need to accommodate another high-usage aggressive rifler pushed TeSeS into more static, uncomfortable roles on both sides of the map. The result:

  • Overall rating falling to around 0.95 – the lowest on the team.
  • T-side rating dropping into the 0.93 range.
  • A visible dip in confidence and impact round to round.

For a player like TeSeS, who historically excels in structured aggression and supportive trading, being forced into full-time anchoring and low-resource roles can be suffocating. He has never been the classic “I’ll sit here and die last” type of anchor. His best form on previous teams came when he was:

  • Rotating aggressively into fights.
  • Playing in tight duos rather than solo anchor positions.
  • Supported by a system that let him take controlled risks.

In Falcons’ current setup, his natural playstyle is constrained. Instead of being a secondary pillar, he’s become a pressure valve that barely holds together the edges of the map. That’s not a recipe for consistent tier-one success.

Why Falcons Desperately Need a True Passive Anchor

Look at the best teams in CS2, and you’ll spot a pattern: they all have elite passive players who happily take on low-glory roles and still put up big numbers.

Some prime examples include:

  • Lotan “Spinx” Giladi on Vitality – a master of spacing, rotations, and mid-round discipline.
  • Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato on FURIA – a late-round monster and one of the best anchors of the past few years.
  • Robin “ropz” Kool on MOUZ / previously FaZe – the gold standard for intelligent lurking and low-noise impact.

These players don’t need to be the loudest voices, nor do they spam the scoreboard with opening duels. Instead, they bring:

  • Round stability – they rarely throw lives away.
  • Anchor excellence – they hold small sites with minimal support.
  • Clutch composure – they win late-round situations that should be unwinnable.

Falcons lack that archetype. Every time they throw away a 5v3 or a 5v2, you can feel the absence of a calm, passive anchor who knows how to lock down a bombsite or stabilize a chaotic round. Instead, you often see over-rotations, mistimed peeks, or unnecessary re-aggressions that cost them maps.

To fix this, Falcons don’t need a player with better aim than NiKo or kyousuke. They need someone who fits the template of a Spinx or ropz – and the name that keeps coming up is Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo.

Jimpphat: The Perfect Fit on Paper

Jimpphat has quickly built a reputation as one of the most promising passive riflers in CS2. Coming from MOUZ, he’s been heavily linked with a move to Falcons, especially during the recent offseason. Even Vitality’s in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire hinted in an interview that the rumors were very real.

Why does he make so much sense for Falcons?

Jimpphat’s Role Profile and Strengths

Unlike NiKo, kyousuke, or even TeSeS, Jimpphat is a true passive anchor by nature. His strengths include:

  • Small-site anchoring: He’s comfortable holding the weaker side of the map with limited utility.
  • Late-round decision making: He rarely over-peeks and often plays percentages perfectly.
  • Composure under pressure: He doesn’t flinch when hit with fast execs or awkward retake scenarios.

Statistically, he proved his level with an impressive 1.17 rating in 2024, which is elite for a player who didn’t always occupy the flashiest positions. After Spinx joined MOUZ, however, his rating dipped to around 1.04 in 2025, as roles shifted and resources were redistributed around the lineup.

From a career perspective, it’s easy to see why he might look for a new challenge. In a team like Falcons, he would immediately be the primary passive pillar rather than a secondary piece behind other stars.

How Jimpphat Would Fit into the Falcons System

If Falcons replaced TeSeS with Jimpphat (the most logical scenario given the existing roles), several things would likely happen:

  • Role cleanup: Jimpphat would take over dedicated anchor positions on sites where TeSeS currently looks uncomfortable.
  • Better star freedom: NiKo and kyousuke could regain more of their ideal spots without completely destroying the team’s structural integrity.
  • Fewer thrown advantages: A calmer anchor tends to cut down the number of chaotic retakes and positional mistakes that lead to blown 5v2s.

In essence, Jimpphat is not a luxury signing, he’s a role fix. He wouldn’t walk in and demand star treatment, but his presence would raise the ceiling of the whole team by letting everyone else play to their strengths.

Why a Move Benefits Both Sides

From Jimpphat’s perspective, Falcons represent an opportunity to:

  • Rebuild his rating and reputation after a dip in 2025.
  • Play in a star-studded lineup where his contributions are highly valued.
  • Potentially contest for big trophies instead of staying in a system where his impact is overshadowed.

From Falcons’ point of view, he’s almost the ideal puzzle piece they’ve been missing. The question is whether the organization is willing to move away from the “one more star” mindset and invest in a different kind of difference-maker.

Can Falcons Really Challenge Vitality?

If you look at the current Counter-Strike landscape, Team Vitality remain the benchmark for elite structure plus star power. With players like ZywOo and Spinx, they’ve shown how to blend:

  • A world-class superstar.
  • One of the best passive riflers in the game.
  • A coherent, discipline-first system.

Falcons have no problem matching some teams in raw talent. They will almost certainly win a tier-one trophy at some point simply because their firepower is too high to be denied forever. But if the goal is to consistently contest titles and actually challenge Vitality’s dominance, they need more than highlight-clips and superstar names.

Right now, the gap between Falcons and teams like Vitality or other structurally disciplined rosters lies in:

  • Round conversion – blown man advantages.
  • Role discipline – players stepping into unfamiliar positions too often.
  • Late-tournament composure – struggling in pressure matches deep in playoffs.

A move for a player like Jimpphat doesn’t instantly erase that gap, but it tackles the core structural flaw that keeps holding Falcons back. Without such an adjustment, they’re likely to remain a team that can beat anyone on a good day, but rarely string enough good days together to dominate an entire event.

CS2 Skins, Player Star Power, and the Market on UUSkins

Falcons’ obsession with stars doesn’t just impact the server – it also shapes how fans engage with the broader CS2 ecosystem, including the ever-growing market for in-game cosmetics. When a team signs NiKo or an up-and-coming prodigy like kyousuke, it can subtly boost the popularity of certain weapon skins associated with their playstyle and weapon choices.

If you’re the type of player who watches pro matches and thinks, “I want my AK to look like that,” you’re far from alone. Many fans track pro usage trends and then head to trading platforms to fine-tune their inventories. Sites that specialize in cs2 skins and csgo skins make it easy to mirror the loadouts you see on stage.

Platforms like UUSkins often offer:

  • Competitive pricing compared to the Steam Market.
  • Fast, automated trades so you can equip your new look almost instantly.
  • Wide selection of rifles, pistols, knives, and gloves that cover every budget level.

Whether you’re trying to channel NiKo with a clean AK skin or mimic the calm, calculated vibe of a passive anchor with a minimalist loadout, a reliable marketplace gives you plenty of options to express your identity. Skins won’t fix Falcons’ structural issues, but they definitely make your own matchmaking grind feel more satisfying.

Just like building a good roster, building a good inventory isn’t just about grabbing the most expensive option. A smart player looks for:

  • Value – skins that look great without costing a fortune.
  • Consistency – a theme or color scheme across your entire loadout.
  • Longevity – items you won’t get bored of in a week.

If Falcons can learn to build their roster with the same care that some players put into organizing their skins collections, they’ll be much closer to realizing their potential.

Future Outlook: What Falcons Must Change in 2026

As CS2 evolves and we move deeper into the 2026 competitive calendar, the expectations around Falcons are only going to grow. With the level of investment behind the organization and the caliber of players they’ve already signed, anything less than deep playoff runs and consistent finals appearances will be seen as underperformance.

To reach that level, Falcons need to accept a few hard truths:

  • Another aggressive star isn’t the answer. The “one more star” meme is a warning, not a solution.
  • Role balance is non-negotiable. At least one true passive anchor with elite fundamentals is required to stabilize the roster.
  • Teammates must be enabled by the system, not squeezed into roles they can’t play at tier-one level.

A move for Jimpphat would be a strong step in the right direction. It signals a shift from pure star hunting to holistic roster design. But even if it’s not him, Falcons must identify and secure someone who plays that kind of role at a similarly high level.

Until they do, the story is likely to remain the same: a team with enough talent to lift a trophy on a hot run, but not enough structural integrity to dominate an era or dethrone the likes of Vitality. The difference between being a meme and being a dynasty may come down to a single decision in the transfer market – not for one more star, but for the right kind of star.

For now, fans will keep watching, speculating on roster moves, and maybe queuing into their own CS2 matches with refreshed inventories from platforms like UUSkins. Whether Falcons can finally break the cycle and build a roster as well-balanced as a top-tier skin collection is one of the most intriguing storylines in the current CS2 era.

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