Russian NT 2015

  • I still wonder why Kruglov hasn't been given a chance in NT this season, even if i think it's important to give experience to youngsters, this time Poletaev should stay at home IMO.


    The inclusion of Kurkaev is quite strange to me as well, he has benched the whole season, and not even in Russia B he had a relevant role, but i haven't seen him that much to say more, still a good try though because Smoliar is useless.


    And Musersky for me should play as opposite :super:

    agree :D but Muserskiy due to problems with his spine shouldn't play as regular OP :wavy:

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

  • I still wonder why Kruglov hasn't been given a chance in NT this season, even if i think it's important to give experience to youngsters, this time Poletaev should stay at home IMO.


    And Musersky for me should play as opposite


    Kruglov reportedly had serious problems with his back. This was the reason for essentially skipping the NT season. He's been seriously considered as a starter otherwise as he had a great season with Dinamo.


    Poletaev is there for a number of reasons, of which the most sound is that he may seriously improve, just like Mikhailov did back in 2008. Other available opps have fairly vague perspectives. After that, Poletaev can serve, he is left-handed and yes, he's part of Zenit. On the paper, Moroz is bigger and more experienced but Viktor is definitely a bigger talent.


    I won't exclude Muserskiy playing opp, there should be a reason for not taking Biryukov but keeping Kurkaev and injured Ilinykh. The option is to move Mikhaylov into the OH position and introduce Muserskiy/Poletaev into the opp.

  • I won't exclude Muserskiy playing opp, there should be a reason for not taking Biryukov but keeping Kurkaev and injured Ilinykh. The option is to move Mikhaylov into the OH position and introduce Muserskiy/Poletaev into the opp.


    Muserskiy and Mikhailov are ultimate elite players on their positions (MB/OP). I highly doubt that they can reach that level on OP/OH and I don't think that moving both of them out of position would have a positive impact. It would only show Alekno`s desperation about his usual OHs. And you don't even know yet how the youngsters Poletaev/Vlasov will adapt to the highest level. So many questionmarks...... ?(
    World League would have been a good field for that kind of experiments.


    By the way, the friendly match between Russia and Germany in Bremen (3rd October), which was cancelled a week ago by Russia, will now take place nonetheless. According to german federation, they personally intervened in Moscow, and russian federation took back the initial withdrawal.


  • Muserskiy and Mikhailov are ultimate elite players on their positions (MB/OP). I highly doubt that they can reach that level on OP/OH and I don't think that moving both of them out of position would have a positive impact.


    Except for possibly winning an olympic gold medal ... :box:


  • Except for possibly winning an olympic gold medal ... :box:

    :D


    But seriously, that was an exceptional move which took Brazil completely by surprise. I don't think that this is repeatable and doubt that this would work again nowadays. Especially as a plan A option. There are good reasons for Muserskiy/Mikhailov playing MB/OP 99% of the time.

  • Dima as an OPP? Hmmm... Few weeks ago I read some interview with Alekno and as it seems Dima can only play on this position in case of emergency. Dima said himself he'll be an OPP only if NEED. And as Kondzio wrote already, Alekno said that usual playing as OPP can 'cause problems with back's muscles. Well, I know Dima looked quite impressive in this role, but clearly his natural environment is the middle.

  • What do you guys think of Ilia Vlasov? He really impressed me during European games, he is quick and has a very high spike reach, he is also already a decent blocker. Muserskiy-Vlasov starter would not be too farfetched as Vlasov is arguably the better attacker than Volvich.

  • I didn't know Dima had back problems while playing as OPP, but the good thing is that they know it's a possibility and that he will be there to play if it is necessary. But his display at the last two match of WL, made me think there was a real chance to change to switch to OPP.


    Certainly it is better to take Poletaev than Moroz, but i think after Mikhailov in a good shape, Pavlov shoudl be teh second option


  • Muserskiy and Mikhailov are ultimate elite players on their positions (MB/OP). I highly doubt that they can reach that level on OP/OH and I don't think that moving both of them out of position would have a positive impact. It would only show Alekno`s desperation about his usual OHs. And you don't even know yet how the youngsters Poletaev/Vlasov will adapt to the highest level. So many questionmarks...... ?(
    World League would have been a good field for that kind of experiments.

    I would say what matters is how much Muserskiy and Mikhaylov played in the "unusual" positions during the season. They can be very good (Muserskiy as opp) and OK (Mikhaylov as Oh) as they have been trained to do so at a decent level.


    The reason why one would need to think about using Mikhaylov as an Oh is the doubtful condition of Ilinykh and omission of Biryukov. The grandpa Tetyukhin and Sivo may struggle a lot with attacking/blocking, the bencher Spiri is in an unclear shape. If Ilinykh's back keeps being an issue, expect funny subs.


    Poletaev and Vlasov should do well. Young chaps but won plenty of champs so no reason to keep them off the squad. They didn't get into WL as there were European Games and then Universiade that were nominally tailored for them.





  • What do you guys think of Ilia Vlasov? He really impressed me during European games, he is quick and has a very high spike reach, he is also already a decent blocker. Muserskiy-Vlasov starter would not be too farfetched as Vlasov is arguably the better attacker than Volvich.

    Vlasov is a big hope, potential substitute for Volkov, which is a mission that Volvich... not to say failed but somehow semi-completed really. The weak side of Vlasov is his service. Let us see if he manages to do smth about it.

  • I didn't know Dima had back problems while playing as OPP, but the good thing is that they know it's a possibility and that he will be there to play if it is necessary. But his display at the last two match of WL, made me think there was a real chance to change to switch to OPP.


    Certainly it is better to take Poletaev than Moroz, but i think after Mikhailov in a good shape, Pavlov shoudl be teh second option

    You can join the Dima club then as he wouldn't know about his back problems too. He had serious issue with knees and feet/ankle but not the back.


    Pavlov is sick, missed the club season and was unwell during the previous NT season too.

  • Any thoughts or infos about what kind of a team Russia might send to ECH? They are playing a friendly in Bremen vs. Germany on 3rd october which i will probably attend. Next day they will even play in Hamburg for a second match but i will have to play myself :wall:

  • Their OHs were useless except Tethyukin and since he is not going to Euro champ they need new bloods. Volkov and Kluka have been performing great in the junior Div. and I think they need to be tried out. Setter Pankov needs also to be tried out. Vlasov started as the better MB between him and Kurkaev in the world cup but by the end of the tourney clearly Kurkaev showed more promise. Since their result here will not affect their olympic bid, its ok to bring in new players and have some players(especially the useless OHs) sit out.


    My Euro team


    Setter: Pankov, Butko
    Opp: Moroz, Poletaev
    OH: Mikhaylov, Volkov, Kluka, Sivo
    MB: Volvich, Kurkaev, Vlasov, Musersky
    Libero: who ever


  • Please, never more Mikaylov as OH :mad:

    Per un pir, un pam un persec per na brogna e na rumleina, nuetr'a sam d'la Ghirlandeina nuetr'a sam da rispeter




  • Any thoughts or infos about what kind of a team Russia might send to ECH? They are playing a friendly in Bremen vs. Germany on 3rd october which i will probably attend. Next day they will even play in Hamburg for a second match but i will have to play myself :wall:

    The experts say Alekno should do his best to win the Ech, the vox populi being however to give a chance to the young blood.


    My feeling is that he will move Muserskiy back to the middle as he was truly missed in there. Mikhaylov however will stay as OH - Alekno always needed a tall powerful OH for blocking the opp, side-outing and occasional pipe (Kaziyski, Korneev, Panteleymonenko, Khtey, Leon). The realistic candidates for that position would Biryukov, Ilinykh, Klyuka. Mikhaylov is stronger that any of these three plus he has a stable service and a good block (well, supposedly good).


    The goss is that he called up Poletaev, Spir, Sivo, Verbov, Mikhaylov and Kobzar from Zenit. These will be accompanied by Grankin, Kruglov(!), Obmochaev, Ermakov from Dinamo Msk. Tetyukhin is definitely out and I presume Muserskiy is definitely in. Obviously this is just for training but as long as no tall OHs are in the news, expect Max to go from four. The presence of Kruglov and Poletaev makes me think Dima is likely to play middle. Klyuka would be good to try at least.

  • OK, here's an update from Alekno himself explaining the logic of the Mikhaylov/Muserskiy switch (MMS) and outlining the squad for ECh:
    http://www.championat.com/voll…enera-sbornoj-rossii.html


    Doesn't look like a joke to me. In brief:


    1. powsoff is the god of volleyball analytics.

    1. the key reason for the MMS was the lack of powerful attack from four, so it has to be Max now.


    2. Mikhaylov is likely to play OH in Zenit.


    3. Muserskiy playing opp due to the lack of equivalent opps: Pavlov is seriously injured, Bakun had a surgery, Kruglov was sick and Moroz is weak ("Pavel Moroz is unlikely to be able to solve this task")


    4. For ECh: Grankin and Kobzar will set, Kruglov is opp (if in good shape), Mikhaylov and Sivo are OH and Muserskiy playing middle (provided Kruglov is OK). Verbov (if fit) to play libero alongside Ermakov and/or Obmochaev. Klyuka will get a chance, so will Savin but there is no guarantee. Kovalev is definitely out.


    5. The problem at WC was block (sic!) and partially reception, which wasn't the fault of Mikhaylov who has done his job excellently (one more sic!)



    Spiridonov is not mentioned, which is good news, but sadly so is Biryukov.

  • So predicting who can be on ECH...


    S: Sergey Grankin, Igor Kobzar
    OP: Pavel Kruglov, Victor Poletaev (Pavel Moroz mentioned as too weak, Konstantin Bakun as injured, Pavlov as exhausted and not ready)
    OH: Maxim Mikhaylov, Evegeny Sivozhlez, Yegor Klyuka, Sergey Savin/Dmitriy Volkov (as we saw, Alexey Spiridonov and Dmitriy Ilinykh were tourist in Japan :wavy: )
    MB: Dmitriy Muserskiy, Artem Volvich, Ilya Vlasov, Ilya Kurkaev (Nikolay Apalikov, Dmitriy Scherbinin and Andrey Ashchev mentioned as injured)
    L: Alexey Obmochaev/Alexey Verbov/Artem Ermakov (2 out of 3, Alexandr Yanutov is out right now due to family reasons)

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Edited once, last by kondzio ().

  • So predicting who can be on ECH...


    S: Sergey Grankin, Igor Kobzar
    OP: Pavel Kruglov, Victor Poletaev (Pavel Moroz mentioned as too weak, Konstantin Bakun as injured, Pavlov as exhausted and not ready)
    OH: Maxim Mikhaylov, Evegeny Sivozhlez, Sergey Klyuka, Sergey Savin/Dmitriy Volkov (as we saw, Alexey Spiridonov and Dmitriy Ilinykh were tourist in Japan :wavy: )
    MB: Dmitriy Muserskiy, Artem Volvich, Ilya Vlasov, Ilya Kurkaev (Nikolay Apalikov, Dmitriy Scherbinin and Andrey Ashchev mentioned as injured)
    L: Alexey Obmochaev/Alexey Verbov/Artem Ermakov (2 out of 3, Alexandr Yanutov is out right now due to family reasons)


    Ilinykh has been called up to the training camp nevertheless. But THAT shopping was indeed a very wrong idea.
    Klyuka (who is Yegor not Sergey AFAIC) may still be kicked out. Kurkaev is Ilyas not Ilya... sorry for being so picky :)

  • thanks for corrections ^^ though Ilya/Ilyas is almost the same name, I forgot that Klyuka is Sergey indeed :whistle: anyway some changes will appear, while Poland will probably go with the same roster :D

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game