Japanese NT 2018

  • I read here somewhere earlier that Nagaoka's injury was to her ankle. Do you have other information? I had assumed it was an injury to her knee because of how long she's been out (along with the notion--I'm not a doctor--that knee injuries are worse than ankle injuries).

    That's what's weird to me. Knee injuries in general indeed take much longer to recover (ACL rupture for example takes 6 months mininum compared to 2-3 weeks for ankle twists), so I assumed that was Nagaoka's injury as well. But it's been waaay too long already, she's gotta have a chronic injury at this point...

  • Knee injuries can be tricky especially for players like Nagaoka. She gets a lot of balls which increases the risk of triggering other injuries or another knee injury whether it is left or right. She's also not that tall and she doesn't receive which can delay her return to the court and her footing as a player. If she's able to play as a receiver, she didn't need to jump a lot so her return to the court would have been easier.

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  • There was this report (lol) at World of Volley Web site: "After the attack in the second set when the result was tight (24-23 for NEC), she twisted her ankle and fell. We hope that injury is not serious."


    I've watched that video (from Miyashita's Instagram?) many times trying to see what happened ... and can't. I guess I'm conditioned to looking for someone landing on another player's foot, and twisting their ankle.


    In the interest of pure research I just read the Wiki page on ACL injuries :teach: It appears that athletes can tear that little bad boy by landing wrong, with no need for contact from an opposing force. Women are more vulnerable than men, and of course there is the Q-angle factor. I think Japanese have bad Q-angle factor.


    Watching the Video after digesting a Wikipedia article, I think I can see her left knee buckle on impact. Check it out.


    As a bonus, while perusing Miyashita's Instagram feed I saw this hilarious photo:



    I had to share :rolll:

  • In the interest of pure research I just read the Wiki page on ACL injuries :teach: It appears that athletes can tear that little bad boy by landing wrong, with no need for contact from an opposing force. Women are more vulnerable than men, and of course there is the Q-angle factor. I think Japanese have bad Q-angle factor.

    Seems like you did your research well! :D Indeed women are more vulnerable as they tend to have something called knee valgus, which is an increased Q-angle, more often than men, which is why we see ACL injuries happen in bigger numbers in female athletes.


    Any ankle injuries wouldn't take this much time to heal, unless it's something like chronic edema or deterioration of the joint, I don't know. I wish Japanese doctors would release any info on what she has.

  • FIVB Team roster for the VNL cut down to 26 from the original 29 eliminates:


    ARATANI, Shiori (OH, NEC)
    NAKAGAWA, Yumi (Libero, Toray) :(
    NAKAGAWA, Miyu (OH, ???)


    People gotta be cut, nothing to do about it. Shed a tear and move on.

  • I'm starting a rumor that Arisa Sato is going to retire. It's the only explanation.


    I also predict that Arisa Inoue is going to be one of the stars of the VNL along with Sarina Koga who is going to finally wake up and smell the coffee.


    You heard it here first.

  • I've been looking for opportunities to see Arisa Inoue play and came across a 2014 Montreux Volley Masters game JPN v DOM. I had downloaded it from YouTube at some point--can't find it online any more to share. I had no idea that both Inoue and Yuka Imamura have already played for the Japanese NT (albeit at Montreux). Imamura was high scorer in the game. I watched Imamura all season long but this is only the second opportunity I've had to see Inoue play. They both started and pretty much played the whole game. Both of them are solid, smart hitters but they are also both big nothing burgers on defense. That's a real problem.


    I think Coach Manabe was more concerned with defense than Coach Nakada is (Manabe took defensive specialist Zayasu to Rio over Koga while Nakada turns her back on Arisa Sato and Miyashita).


    I'm impressed with Imamura's attack skills but as I mentioned earlier she might be a little timid for the NT. She's the one who goes to give someone a double High-Five just as they are turning away and finds herself with her hands in the air and a look of being left out on her face. I'm still rooting for her, though.


    I wish Brenda Castillo would come play for the NEC Red Rockets next year so I could watch her play all the time. She's gorgeous and really good at her job.

  • I'm starting a rumor that Arisa Sato is going to retire. It's the only explanation.


    Well well well, from Arisa's Blog:



  • Koga had a really bad 2016 season and Manabe left her home for the Rio games.


    Arita Sato was dropped from the national team by Nakada this year and with Hitachi playing so badly this year, it really changed her thoughts about the team and possibly the sport. With her former teammates Saori Kimura and Sakoda seemingly enjoying life off the court, Arisa might want some time off.

  • Koga had a really bad 2016 season and Manabe left her home for the Rio games.


    Arita Sato was dropped from the national team by Nakada this year and with Hitachi playing so badly this year, it really changed her thoughts about the team and possibly the sport. With her former teammates Saori Kimura and Sakoda seemingly enjoying life off the court, Arisa might want some time off.


    Oh man :box: Was there a news report at the time where Manabe actually said something like that? I'll stop harassing you if he did, but:


    2015/16 kill 36%. Receive 55% (NEC 5th place 8-13)
    2017/18 kill 36%. Receive 50% (NEC 5th place 8-13)


    She had a bad game (or two) in the 2016 OQ (especially against Korea) and then didn't play much. Could she have suffered a small injury?


    She had the most kills in every game she played except one in the 2016 WGP before Rio. And she had a cute haircut!
    (I just looked it up. I didn't look at %, maybe Manabe was pushing her and she had a bad %).


    Honestly, looking at the Rio roster I don't know who I would have cut to make room for her amongst the swingers. I didn't watch her 15/16 season but based on numbers and outcome she should be cut from this years WCh.


    Lest anyone think I'm simply a Koga basher, she is my favorite active player by a mile.


    I guess we don't really know if Arisa is going to fully retire but I'd like to know if she made the decision to resign based on not being picked for the NT or if she wasn't chosen because she wants out. Same thing with Sakoda last year.


  • I always thought Manabe screw up big time by cutting Koga from Olympics. She is obviously Japan's best potential for the future. It was not like Japan could contend in Rio with that Roster with retiring veterans. Why not let her play and overcome her obstacles? Could have broken her mentally.

  • I always thought Manabe screw up big time by cutting Koga from Olympics. She is obviously Japan's best potential for the future. It was not like Japan could contend in Rio with that Roster with retiring veterans. Why not let her play and overcome her obstacles? Could have broken her mentally.

    I agree....


    I honestly don`t have any hopes for Japan anymore... They will never win anything until they have players with a little more height and mostly important players that are more physical. ....It might be hard to find taller girls but at least they could work on their physique, Brazil has a lot of short players but just look how strong they are....


    The Japanese can barely attack in their own league.......... :thumbdown: u can pass and defend as much as u want...but u just can`t win by only playing defense.

  • I think it's more about attitude than physique. Yuki and Risa as their best players, and their veterans, should be leaders, but they aren't. They play like robots.


    Japan is competitive up to 20 points. If you lose after that it's an attitude problem.

  • I just watched some of those 2016 WGP games to SEE how poorly Koga might have been playing. I disagree with the notion she played poorly but the news to me is that Arisa Inoue was playing. She didn't make an impression on me enough to even notice her when I first watched, and, I'm sad to report she didn't flip my pancakes this time either. She played better in 2014 Montreux. I haven't lost hope for her but my expectations are a little lower.


    Somebody is going to have to push through the Yuki/Risa (and Uchiseto, for that matter) wall. That era is past. They are necessary players, but not sufficient to win.


    Koga plays better when Nabeya is on the court. Nabeya comes out and gives an OBVIOUS 150% and makes a crazy shot or something and it motivates Koga to do the same. I think Nabeya relaxes her, too.


    Yuki and Risa are Koga's elders and by many accounts better players. Koga's gotta bust through that to lead the team. It's a huge obstacle but I have faith and hope she will. If Yuki and Risa won't help her she will need others. I don't know who those youngsters might be and who knows how Nagaoka (another Hisamitsu chunk) will change things when she returns.

  • Japan needs to find better offensive players. Defense is never a problem for Japan. Why do you need more defense when offense is needed more. Manabe screwed that up bringing an extra libero when Koga was available.


    Koga showed the best potential as the best offensive weapon for Japan, plus reception and defense. Too bad Manabe dropped her from Rio. Should have built a team around Koga because Saorin was to retire anyway.


    I guess coaching makes a huge difference in deciding a team's future. Lang Ping cleaned the house after 2013 Asian Championship failure and built the team around Zhu. All the remaining veterans became supporting pillars and the rest never to see the light of day, not even on B or C team invitations. She keeps adding younger players almost every year. Can't believe Koga is the second youngest on the VNL roster. So much potential........................

  • I think Japan does have a defensive ... lets call it a "matter" which is a little less than a "problem". Watching the 2017 NT I saw more balls hit the floor in front of the 3 meter line than I saw in all of 2012 to 2016. It frustrated me a lot. Also zone 1 is a major vulnerability when any of the 2017 setters are covering it. :wall:


    This wasn't a "matter" with Nakamichi, Miyashita, Arisa Sato, Sano. Better block coverage, and better reading of 'tips' from the other side.


    The three youngsters who came in for China--Zhu, Zhang, Yuan--came in as KILLERS. I love the Japanese teams because they are peaceful, polite, respectful and full of joy but ... man! I wish they had a KILLER. :box:

  • I was a little saddened by Risa Ishii's absence from the NT because I had become a fan of her watching Denso games. I like MB/OP double punchers



    25 April 2018
    Notice of retired players


    Thank you for your warm encouragement from the everyday.


    This time, 4 players of Denso Airy beads, we will inform you that you retired Womochimashite 67th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament.


    Risa Ishii (Risa Ishii) players


    Squad Number: 5
    Nickname: Lisa
    Position: Middle blocker
    Date of Birth: May 19, 1990


    Joined date: April 2009


  • ITALY - JAPAN 1-3 (25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 19-25)


    Italy: Malinov 4, Guerra 5, Lubian 2, Ortolani 20, Sylla 8, Olivotto 11. Free: Parish. Cambi 2, Mingardi 6, Fahr 2, Pietrini 4, L. Bosetti 7, Berti. Ne: Orro, Spirito e Degradi. All. Mazzanti


    Japan: Koga 8, Iwasaka 4, Ishii 6, Shimammura 8, Tominaga 1, Okumura 4. Free: Inoue. Horikawa 7, Inoue 9, Kurogo 7, Tashiro 1, Akutagawa 5. Ne: Matsumoto and Yamagishi. All. Nakada


    https://www.volleyball.it/amic…-3-ortolani-20-punti-deb/

  • ITALY - JAPAN 1-3 (25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 19-25)


    Japan: Koga 8, Iwasaka 4, Ishii 6, Shimammura 8, Tominaga 1, Okumura 4. Free: Inoue. Horikawa 7, Inoue 9, Kurogo 7, Tashiro 1, Akutagawa 5. Ne: Matsumoto and Yamagishi. All. Nakada


    I like that spread of points. I love that Akutagawa got playing time and that MBs scored 17.
    "Inoue may surprise us"


    Seems like the real story, though, is: "Compared to Japan, Italy has committed many more errors 37 to 18". Too many boo-boos by Italy!