Russian NT 2016

Quote from kittosuni

Russia doesnt have really good setters to choose right now so they are stuck with Startseva and Kosianenko. Kosianenko is pretty ok but Startseva is just so-so. Among the OHs Pasynkova is most likely the one to be replaced by Kutyukova or Ilchenko since FD is a focused for the team right now. Lyubushkina is a team player. She gets her job done but doesnt do anything exceptional. She can easily be replaced by Morozova or Shlyakhovaya depends who will recover from their injuries faster. Bavykina is a future scoring machine for russia. Her FD is pretty weak but very good attacker. She can play OH2 if needed. Im afraid Gamova or Sokolova will be in the line up but hopefully it will be Gamova.

Kosianenko is better than Startseva right now and she should be main setter. Besides, half of the NT are players from Dinamo Moscow so it's really a no-brainer decision for Marichev. For second OPP, no way Bavykina will be used over Malykh, and even then, both may lose their spot if Gamova joins into the picture. With regards to Pasynkova, she may not even be used for reception but as a serving specialist. For example, she may come in when error-prone Zaryazkho is serving for crucial moments as she has good serves which are somewhat tricky for the opponents to receive (she and Fetisova are the most prolific in terms of serving) so although she is useless in attack, she still has her role in the team. The question is if Marichev will bring 3 OHs as she will be competing a spot with Sokolova. Both have about the same level of reception, Pasynkova is slightly better in serve and block IMO, but Sokolova has the experience and has stronger nerves and it's not like both are being used as the team's primary offensive options anyway. I think the deciding factor whether Marichev brings 4 OHs or not will depend if he decides to add another libero as that will already exceed 12 players.

S: 2, OPP: 2, OH: 4, MB: 3, L: 1 or S: 2, OPP: 2, OH: 3, MB: 3, L: 2

Are You still talking about Sokolova? She shouldn't be there...

for S we probably have no competition - we have Kosianenko and Startseva and it lokks not bad

about OP: Gamova doesn't play, so she may be out too, if not she would be backup we have 2 pure OPs for NT - Obmochaeva and Malykh, Isaeva can compete with them

for OH: Kosheleva without no doubts, Shcherban has been ok recently, Pasynkova can be helpful, Ilchenko or Biryukova aren't ready... Kutyukova may be appear if Marichev wants to try someone else, maybe Anna Makarova, Daria Evtukhova (Pisarenko) or Olessya Nikolaeva Baykina is nightmare in reception, so no...

checking MBs, it can be a problem we have Fetisova, Zaryazhko, Samoilenko, Morozova, Lyubushkina; Orlova should stay at home, Fetisova and Zaryazhko are probably the best pair now, it's hard to choose third one, we will see throughout season

for L we have Malova, it can be enough, if Marichev really wants to take 2nd L he can take Kryuchkova

I'd probably take:

S: Kosianenko, Startseva
OP: Obmochaeva, Malykh
OH: Kosheleva, Shcherban, Kutyukova, Pasynkova
MB: Zaryazhko, Fetisova, Morozova
L: Malova

Anna Makarova can't play for Russia together with Obmochaeva because both played for Ukraine.

Quote from Matthias

Anna Makarova can't play for Russia together with Obmochaeva because both played for Ukraine.

So no place for Makarova unless Obmochaeva gets serious injury

I do not buy this argument that Sokolova/Gamova would be required in Olympics because of their experience and habit to excel during crucial stages in the past. This is not a characteristic trait thats inhterited to them permanently by nature and therefore automatically transmittable regardless by changes in time. Nothing is set in stone. Instead its regulated by constantly shifting factors such as current shape and confidence in herself and support from coaches/teammates. I do not know whether they are so reliable during this circumstances anymore, and if they cannot be cornerstones its better to leave them out completely since their mentality is likely not optimal for lowkey-roles. Instead, it would just fill a undesired function as a possible hotbed for erupting conflicts between the past and the present since the new order will require a tough conversion for all left out since all parties been used to be incorporated in the main core. This adjustment to a mere appendage might not always carries out as a smooth proccess.

This over-belief or overconfidence some holds upon Gamova and Sokolova simply lacks equivalents in terms of how they are regarded as immortal and their place are granted for everything else than their contemporary skill level. They are regarded as some vampires with some unearthly abilities to replicate themselves and be reborn again only when its needed properly in order to once again reach transcendence.

I think Bavykina should be there because she is the only replacement for Kosheleva in terms of attack. We suppose Kosheleva at her worst won't her replaced by Bavykina OK, but what if she gets injured.. who'll replace her? Ilchenko is not that player yet IMO.

Quote from USAvolleyfan

I think Bavykina should be there because she is the only replacement for Kosheleva in terms of attack. We suppose Kosheleva at her worst won't her replaced by Bavykina OK, but what if she gets injured.. who'll replace her? Ilchenko is not that player yet IMO.

Well, Bavykina isn't such experienced on international level... moreover she can't recewive, though we know that Malova with Shcherban could do it only two covering whole court

if You can choose who can be 4th OH, assuming that Marichev takes Kosheleva, Shcherban and Pasynkova?

there are some options: Bavykina, Evtukhova, Kutyukova, Ilchenko, Voronkova, Nikolaeva, Biryukova and adding someone with decent stats: Olga Efimova, Natalia Frolova, Yulia Bessonaya, Maria Samoilova, Margarita Kurilo... so many options, IMHO Bavykina is too weak, I'd take etiher Kutyukova or Evtukhova or Ilchenko basing on current shape

Ksenia Ilchenko is the most balanced OH and 4th to NT if Shcherban, Pasynkova and Kosheleva secured spots...
Alternates to try: Yulia Bessonaya, Daria Evtukhova and Yulia Kutyukova Bavykina is far away

Quote from kondzio

Well, Bavykina isn't such experienced on international level... moreover she can't recewive, though we know that Malova with Shcherban could do it only two covering whole court

if You can choose who can be 4th OH, assuming that Marichev takes Kosheleva, Shcherban and Pasynkova?

there are some options: Bavykina, Evtukhova, Kutyukova, Ilchenko, Voronkova, Nikolaeva, Biryukova and adding someone with decent stats: Olga Efimova, Natalia Frolova, Yulia Bessonaya, Maria Samoilova, Margarita Kurilo... so many options, IMHO Bavykina is too weak, I'd take etiher Kutyukova or Evtukhova or Ilchenko basing on current shape

Ksenia Ilchenko is the most balanced OH and 4th to NT if Shcherban, Pasynkova and Kosheleva secured spots...
Alternates to try: Yulia Bessonaya, Daria Evtukhova and Yulia Kutyukova Bavykina is far away

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Well first of all she might not me experienced enough but is more experienced than those alternates you mentioned.. She at least got to play some WGP matches with the main team. I wouldn't count Pasynkova as in since she has been a disaster lately. I am a big fan of hers, and she has always been helpful in terms of reception and serving but lately she is playing really bad, so I don't think she is surely in. So that leaves us with 2 OHs. You really think Nikolaeva, Vornonkova and Biryukova are better than her? Voronkova hardly jumps lately, Nikolaeva played awful whenever she got a chance in Kazan, and Biryukova wasn't so spectacular. Kutyukova is a better option of course especially in terms of passing but she has only played for the NT in Motreux and since then has been injured/absent for Russia.
Moreover I don't know the reason Bavykina lost her place to Markova in Moskow, but she has been really good in the start of the season and even got MVP when Obmochaeva was not there.. So I don't think she is great, but the most reasonable replacement for attacking for Kosheleva

I seriously don't think Pasynkova should be in the national team. Her attack is weak and her reception is not good, even though she's supposed to be there as a receptive OH. In the recent World Cup, she was not reliable and I had to pray that Marichev didn't let her play. The only thing that is good about her is service, but I don't think that should be the only factor that guarantees her spot. I see great potential in Ilchenko. She did well in the European Championship and we all saw that Pasynkova was not as good as Ilchenko. As for the other outside hitters, I'd like to add Kutyukova or perhaps Sokolova if she can regain her form to help with the reception (similar to having Estes in 2012).

I do not like the team atmopshere when Gamova is on the team, but for the Olympics, I think she should be a substitute opposite. I don't know if this is possible because of the ego issue, but I noticed that in the World Cup, when Obmoecheva was frequently blocked, Malykh could not do anything to improve the situation.

As for MBs, Lyubushkina and Orlova were not good enough for a high level of competition. I think Lyubushkina was a bit better, but these two are too slow to block and too weak to attack. Zaryazhko and Fetisova should definitely be on the roster. I also hope that Shlyakhovaya or Podskayana can be back. I don't know if Morozova is as good as she was in 2013.

For libero position, Malova is great, but team needs someone who is NOT Kryuchkova. Perhaps this year in the Russian league we will see a candidate.

My roster
S: Kosianenko, Startseva
OP: Obmochaeva, Gamova
OH: Kosheleva, Shcherban, Ilchenko, Kutyukova or Sokolova
MB: Zaryazhko, Fetisova, Shlyakhovaya or Podskayana or Morozova
L: Malova + ????

http://www.russiavolley.com/75…ova-to-the-national-team/

Quote from Matthias

http://www.russiavolley.com/75…ova-to-the-national-team/

She'll have an open invitation to the NT till she's 60

The main thing about QT in Ankara is that you can only take 12 players, so coaches have to think very carefully about who goes and who stays at home.
Also - no Kuzyakina, she's injured. Daria Talysheva will be called instead of her. Max 15 players will train in Novgorod and Russia will play two friendly matches against Volero Zurich.

Quote from estranged

The main thing about QT in Ankara is that you can only take 12 players, so coaches have to think very carefully about who goes and who stays at home.

According to CEV there can be 14 players, see point 7 of Official Communication No. 1: http://ebook.cev.lu/competitions/COQT/oc/

Quote from Matthias

According to CEV there can be 14 players, see point 7 of Official Communication No. 1: http://ebook.cev.lu/competitions/COQT/oc/

Thanks for the link! I was looking for the official info from CEV. Well, Marichev says 12 players, so I was just quoting him. But I guess he's wrong. Or maybe he intends to take 12 players only

Yes, as far as I know 14 players can be added to the final roster.

Marichev inviting Sokolova isn't really surprising to me, I was hoping not to see her, but well, let's face it and hope she won't make it to Rio. I'd like to see hungrier and younger players than her to be completely honest.

Here's my choice for Ankara.

S : Kosianenko, Startseva (I don't think they have more options, apparently.)
OPP : Obmochaeva, Malykh
OH : Kosheleva, Scherban, Pasynkova, Ilchenko (Kutiukova would be welcomed as well, but I don't think she wants to play for NT and as for Bavykina, she needs to show more in her club, currently she's all behind Markova and Scherban. Pasynkova was awful through this year's NT season, however, she still has a role. Ilchenko is playing very well so far in her club, she deserves a spot. Kosheleva and Scherban are essential IMO.)
MB : Fetisova, Zaryazhko, Samoylenko, Morozova (It may be a hard decision for Marichev since Yulia Morozova isn't playing as starter in her club and Samoylenko just got back from her injury.)
L : Malova, Kryuchkova

Quote from Emil

Yes, as far as I know 14 players can be added to the final roster.

Marichev inviting Sokolova isn't really surprising to me, I was hoping not to see her, but well, let's face it and hope she won't make it to Rio. I'd like to see hungrier and younger players than her to be completely honest.

Here's my choice for Ankara.

S : Kosianenko, Startseva (I don't think they have more options, apparently.)
OPP : Obmochaeva, Malykh
OH : Kosheleva, Scherban, Pasynkova, Ilchenko (Kutiukova would be welcomed as well, but I don't think she wants to play for NT and as for Bavykina, she needs to show more in her club, currently she's all behind Markova and Scherban. Pasynkova was awful through this year's NT season, however, she still has a role. Ilchenko is playing very well so far in her club, she deserves a spot. Kosheleva and Scherban are essential IMO.)
MB : Fetisova, Zaryazhko, Samoylenko, Morozova (It may be a hard decision for Marichev since Yulia Morozova isn't playing as starter in her club and Samoylenko just got back from her injury.)
L : Malova, Kryuchkova

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Do we know if the Olympic roster will also allow 14 players? Or has it been confirmed only 12?

I agree with your roster Emil except Gamova for Ilchenko as she could be 2nd OH (but not in all games). My only fear is that Marichev will take Lyubushkina over Morozova/Samoylenko as Russia needs a decent blocking MB at all times and we all know how Lyubushkina brings down the block with her every single time.

Quote from Matthias

http://www.russiavolley.com/75…ova-to-the-national-team/

Oh boy Come on, he should try the youngsters. Sokolova would only be there for her experience, I don't think she can compete at a high level every few days anymore. Stick with Ilchenko, she is improving and she is young. She needs international experience.