Chinese NT 2018

  • Wu Han got robbed of the MVP award.


    Jolly good match, that. It wasn't clear to me how the USA team scored a point, let alone win the first two sets. What a comeback. The Tie-Break was smashing. China was squashing. And as if I need any more reason for Wu Han love, I have a real soft spot for players who can serve a bunch without choking at the end of a tough game. She served from 3-3 to 9-3 in the tiebreak. I wish she would have gone bunless, though. She looks more dangerous and crazy:

    I love that photo. I wish she would come play in Japan.

  • I guess Yang Hanyu hasn't fully recovered from her injury considering that she was the only player that didn't play against Poland. Hope she recovers well because none of China's new middle blockers have been playing well with the exception of Hu Mingyuan(187cm), but her height is her biggest down fall. Wang Yuanyuan(195cm) though is tall, she doesn't provide much offense or defense and seems to have a hard time reading the opponents. It could be too early to tell since it is only the second week. Their lack of experience shows and the bad passing makes it difficult for Ding Xia/Yao Di to set the middles. Even though Lang Ping is testing her youngsters, someone needs to step up and soon.

  • Reception is the biggest problem for this team. Stable receivers are opposites ironically. Li Yingying will have to play through her mistakes just as Lang Ping had said in the beginning so she won't get a break even if pressure gets to her. Too much pressure might break her like it did to Gong Xiangyu after the Olympics. I think she will get better as she plays more, and against even more better teams. It is only VNL group stage so nothing to lose. Other young players should aslo make the best of this opportunity to grow.

  • I'm starting to like Hu Mingyuan, she kind of reminds me of Zheng Yixin. Both are short for middle blockers, but they are fast. Hu has a stronger block and lots of energy. I thought China had better receiving than the last match, but it's still a noticeable problem for the new players. Looks like Lang Ping either decided to give Li Yingying a rest and or teach her a lesson that she needs to work harder on her reception.

  • China played well against Serbia and surprisingly won the 1st set (25-21) and were close in sets 2 (23-25) and 3 (21-25), it was only in the final set that they faltered (17-25). Yang Hanyu showed her inexperience and is possibly still recovering from injury considering her level of play. Gong Xiangyu had a good overall performance. Serbia on the other hand had a lot of errors.


    Next week China will be facing Argentina who hasn't won a game yet, Japan, and Italy in Hong Kong. Italy's Paola Egonu and Cristina Chirichella will be returning also.


    My predictions for the roster for Week 3:
    OH: Zhu Ting returns, Liu Xiaotong, Duan Fang, Li Yingying (I don't think Zhang Yichan has a future on the national team)
    OPP: Gong Xiangyu, Yang Fangxu (Gong should be a starter in the next matches. Any news update on Zeng Chunlei?)
    MB: Yan Ni, Wang Yuanyuan, Hu Mingyuan, Yang Hanyu
    S: Ding Xia, Diao Linyu (give Diao Linyu a chance to play and let Yao Di rest)
    L: Lin Li, Wang Mengjie, (both are China's core liberos, while Meng Zixuan might be a preparation for after Tokyo 2020.

  • What happened with Yuan Xinyue? When she will be back?


    Yuan Xinyue as a member of the Bayi Army along with others (Liu Yanhan and Gao Yi) has duties to fufill and left to participate in the 2018 World Military Volleyball Championships held in Canada. They will miss the upcoming Week 3 (Hong Kong) and 4 (Jiangmen) and may return for the final 5 Week in Germany.

  • This team is still a work in progress so playing time is important for their development. Without Zhu and others, the offense is pretty weak.


    Li Yingying will have to receive well to have a future with this team. She is still young so there's still hope.


    Yao Di still can't connect with the middles. That won't get wins against top teams. Better work on that.


    I think Yang Fangxu is done if she keeps playing at this level. Her injury is just too serious to overcome so nothing you can do about it.


    Wang Mengjie is still not stable so Lin Li will likely be the main libero for this Olympic cycle.


    Zeng is on vacation so she will be back when the NT really needs her.


    Zhu is training with Diao, Meng, and Yuan Xinyue in Beijing so I expect her to be back for HK leg. Not sure if she will start or act as backup.


  • I seen those training pictures also. Yuan Xinyue didn't leave for the military games yet? Also, where was Gao Yi and Liu Yanhan ?

  • Not sure about Gao Yi and Liu Yanhan. Maybe they are training with Bayi. At least this gives chance for new players to play but also risks unnecessary injury like what happened to Yang Junjing. Just hope everyone stay healthy for WCH.

  • In Week 3, Zhu Ting replaces Zhang Yi-chan. Other 13 players are the same as the ones in Week 2.

    My favourite roster of Chinese (in 2022)
    male NT:
    S - Yu Yao-chen, Chen Lei-yang
    OP - Jiang Chuan, Dai Qing-yao
    OH - Zhang Jing-yin, Yu Yuan-tai, Liu Li-bin, Fu Hou-wen
    MB - Zhang Zhe-jia, Peng Shi-kun, Li Yong-zhen, Jiang Zhen-yang
    L - Yang Yi-ming, Yang Tian-yuan


    female NT:
    S - Yao Di, Diao Lin-yu
    OP - Gong Xiang-yu, Sun Xiao-xuan
    OH - Li Ying-ying, Wang Yi-fan, Wu Meng-jie, Zhuang Yu-shan
    MB - Yuan Xin-yue, Wang Yuan-yuan, Zheng Yi-xin, Liu Yu
    L - Ni Fei-fan, Xu Jia-nan

  • In Week 3, Zhu Ting replaces Zhang Yi-chan


    Of course! They play Japan next week. Nobody plays their B-team against Japan. :D


    btw - why does everyone seem to not like Gong Xiangyu. She's not scoring a lot but I think she's playing better than Yang Fangxu. Gong has a great swing.

  • Zeng Chunlei is back in training after her vacation. Zhu plays in HK because HK is a special place for Chinese women's volleyball due to long time support. Also great place for shopping.

  • Zeng Chunlei should return for the finals and replace Yang Fangxu. Yang Fangxu looks like she's still adjusting to her leg recovery and isn't the same player anymore. I really hope Tianjin coaches allow Li Yingying to receive next season to help her development as a player for the national team. I'm surprised Diao Linyu wasn't in this weeks roster.

  • I think Yang Fangxu's performance so far has been worst than before when she returned from injury. Maybe she is done and it is time to let her go and try out other players.


    Gong can play setter and OH as well. Will need to improve on her offense.


    So far biggest disappointment has been MBs, most potential, but not impressive so far. Hu has been playing well but she was not even part of the main selection of players. Might be biggest sleeper along with Duan Fang.


    Diao has not shown to be a stable setter based on the games she has played for CNT. Too bad Shen Jingsi is not playing this season. Just too many players retired due to injuries so new players will have to step up to fill the gap.


  • According to some photos about Shen Jing-si, she may be pregnant!
    In the history of Chinese women's volleyball, a few players as mothers could be reactive such as Yin Yin (OH) but no one returns NT.
    Therefore, Shen Jing-si shouldn't return NT and it is thought that she has been retired from Chinese NT.

    My favourite roster of Chinese (in 2022)
    male NT:
    S - Yu Yao-chen, Chen Lei-yang
    OP - Jiang Chuan, Dai Qing-yao
    OH - Zhang Jing-yin, Yu Yuan-tai, Liu Li-bin, Fu Hou-wen
    MB - Zhang Zhe-jia, Peng Shi-kun, Li Yong-zhen, Jiang Zhen-yang
    L - Yang Yi-ming, Yang Tian-yuan


    female NT:
    S - Yao Di, Diao Lin-yu
    OP - Gong Xiang-yu, Sun Xiao-xuan
    OH - Li Ying-ying, Wang Yi-fan, Wu Meng-jie, Zhuang Yu-shan
    MB - Yuan Xin-yue, Wang Yuan-yuan, Zheng Yi-xin, Liu Yu
    L - Ni Fei-fan, Xu Jia-nan

  • It's not Military World Games but in Chinese media, it is said "Canada Military World Games". I am still looking for its details!


    Add: The tournament is "[2018] World Military Volleyball Championship" (Chinese: 世界军人排球锦标赛).


    The roster of Chinese NT [equals Bayi Club]:
    S - Zhou Yu-jie, Zhu Meng-di
    OP - Ou-yang Qian-qian
    OH - Liu Yan-han, Wang Yun-lu, Fan Lin-lin
    MB - Yang Jun-jing, Gao Yi, Liu Cong-cong, Tian Yue, Zhang Shi-qi
    L - Huang Liu-yan


    It is said that Yuan Xin-yue couldn't go to Canada due to the visa issue.
    She may return Chinese NT in Week 4 of VNL 2018.

    My favourite roster of Chinese (in 2022)
    male NT:
    S - Yu Yao-chen, Chen Lei-yang
    OP - Jiang Chuan, Dai Qing-yao
    OH - Zhang Jing-yin, Yu Yuan-tai, Liu Li-bin, Fu Hou-wen
    MB - Zhang Zhe-jia, Peng Shi-kun, Li Yong-zhen, Jiang Zhen-yang
    L - Yang Yi-ming, Yang Tian-yuan


    female NT:
    S - Yao Di, Diao Lin-yu
    OP - Gong Xiang-yu, Sun Xiao-xuan
    OH - Li Ying-ying, Wang Yi-fan, Wu Meng-jie, Zhuang Yu-shan
    MB - Yuan Xin-yue, Wang Yuan-yuan, Zheng Yi-xin, Liu Yu
    L - Ni Fei-fan, Xu Jia-nan

    Edited once, last by tomen ().

  • Heard Yuan Xinyue didn't go due to visa problem. Good for her. She can come back for Jiangmen leg to face against USA, Brazil, and Russia.