Astralis were unrivalled throughout most of 2018, winning the FACEIT Major London 2018 as well as the Intel Grand Slam, but it didn't come without criticism.
Astralis, currently ranked 1st in the world have showcased an exceptional amount of talent throughout the past year. They won multiple prestigious tournaments such as Blast Pro Series Lisbon 2018, the ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals and even the most recent major, but it's not so much what Astralis have won but how they have done so that shocks fans the most.
There have been teams who have been extremely dominant before, the likes of SK Gaming back in 2016 and fnatic even further back in 2014. Who can forget NIP'S iconic 87-0 win streak which ended back in April of 2013 against a team who have had their own share of success, Virtus.Pro?
The way Astralis have just simply, ploughed through their opposition this year should not go underappreciated, the thought of Astralis losing a map rarely entered one's mind, a match? - unheard of.
Astralis have endured a total of 64 weeks at the top spot of HLTV's rankings which primarily consists of their spell from the 23rd of April up until now, however, this also takes into account their other dominant spell which took place within the first six months of 2017.
Despite being so successful in 2018, winning 200 out of 254 maps played with their current lineup, Astralis have been criticized for their boring play style among other things. Similar comments were also made when they were dominant back in 2017.
Many people will look to defend Astralis. As a player, team or organization you are obligated to try and win, not make flashy plays or entertain. This is profoundly common in regular sports where fans will criticize rival teams for not entertaining, but the reality is, this is a results business.
Some may have an issue with Astralis if they play safe in the future and don't get the results, but the reality is they are. People need to appreciate the fundamentals within Counter-Strike. Surely, Astralis has spent countless hours rehearsing the same smokes, and flashes, reviewing demo's and constructing their tactics. This is in stark contrast to certain teams who would rather practice in a more 'fun' environment such as FPL.
The recent attempts to downplay Astralis and their success simply showcase how ahead of everyone else they are. Good teams are appreciated, great teams are cherished, elite teams are envied; enter Astralis.
