Italy – Superlega 2017/2018

Quote from Rains_of_Castamere

Oh it expired but someone uploaded the cuteness overload.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcfTDthllsx/

I saw it yesterday. There's nothing weird to me. They're very good friends. By best friends always hug me and we take care of each others, that's how friendship works.

Zaytsev was tremendous in the first set ,after the first set he was actually so so but he got help by Sottile’s non-existing block against him.Last points were not even a spike,only tips but it worked I don’t think he can put this numbers against well organized block

Tomorrow Perugia - Modena

I don't really find the Brazilian Central on the side of Vibo Valentia as significant. Without him, they could get a good foreign setter who can play better offense with his team. I just don't trust Coscione anymore. I'm not saying he's bad. I do see their faults as a team but he's outdated and limited in what he can do as a player.

Another way is get a better outside hitter but that's even more difficult to find.

I just feel a setter who could do everything could be more beneficial to this team than a middle blocker who is not that influential to their ends. It's such a massive oversight. They could've done better by picking Kawika Shoji and Simone Buti before Monza took them especially thinking about they made a crazy decision to hire an inexperienced opposite from USA. It would've made better sense if they thought about that.

Coscione and Patch are the last problems for Callipo!

Quote from Kk15

Well, considering his WL the idea wasn't that bad imho (as in the past happened with Russell or Christenson, even if they were 'real' titulars in USA NT).
But yes, I think he is their week link (at least considering the expectations), one of the worst opposites of the Superlega so far, I'm afraid (without checking the stats).
Well, may be Vettori did worst

Patch didn't play titular the whole time in the tournament. He made a flashy entrance but he started getting trapped by the block. Lack of technique has been apparent since day one but the hits are powerful if it penetrates the block which is very much like Zaytsev(except the guy's serve is atrocious.)

I just think he needs a setter who knows him better or who could pass more precise high balls to him. This guy could be awesome when he gets a ball that he likes.

I just cannot agree on Coscione. There are much better setters out there who could handle a tough pass and who can give better balls to his opposite. He is playing similarly to Giannelli but without the ability to throw off his opponent with a quick dump when the ball is passed too tight at the net, the ability to serve harder and ofcourse some blocking.

If he also keeps on avoiding Patch the guy will never grow. He's not that young anymore but there is some advantages to be had when he's the one playing than Domagala like his blocking. I really can't see Valentia playing better without some changes in their roster.

The problem is not who sets the ball. You can bring there Bruninho and he won't change anything. Weakest libero of the league and 2 back ups as outside hitters. Even Verhees is completely wasted in a team who can't pass properly. Patch made a big mistake signing for Callipo. He could be easily playing for better teams all over the Europe. Not to mention he trains against a bunch of kids who come from Callipo youth team, since their president has almost zero help from local autorities and enterprises to build a stronger team; Pippo Callipo does the best he can. Almost no one in the south of Italy stayed so long in high level volleyball... IMHO Patch wasted his first pro season, just like he wasted 2 years of NCAA eligibility for his mission.

Quote from Kk15

I agree on Coscione and I remember there was a similar discussion here few weeks ago, but overtime I watched Vibo (not very often to be honest) Patch didn't impressed at all..
And I also what I overall read isn't so good about him.
I remember yourself saying he still needed time to adjust to Superlega sometime ago, and now he doesn't seem to be improved that much (again, for the little I've seen/read, so I may be wrong).

I used to think so, but now I know for sure the only way he can improve is playing official matches. I saw Callipo few times and they're a mess most of the time. Not to mention they have zero bench, except Lecat, so even the trainings can't help him at all... Whenever their OHs provide a decent level, everything changes.

De Pandis, Rossini in my opinion are currently worse than Marra and Piacenza still has Mania to fight for the title of the worst libero in Superlega.

Eh Patch in Russia? Poland? I just doubt that unless he's benched. We already saw some bits of what he can do and can't do but I honestly did not predict he's going to play this badly in Italy.

Quote from SHAME

I used to think so, but now I know for sure the only way he can improve is playing official matches. I saw Callipo few times and they're a mess most of the time. Not to mention they have zero bench, except Lecat, so even the trainings can't help him at all... Whenever their OHs provide a decent level, everything changes.

Lecat is the starter for some time. I don't know what to say what you're even watching. Massari is okay for a bench. To say they do not have decent OHs is an exaggeration. They are probably even better than Zaytsev as of this moment.

This sucks. This means the bronze medal match of Club World Championship won't be watched by me.

Nice rally during 5-2 . Ngapeth did so many magic but Perugia took the point. 5-3.

Anzani played like a champ there. Shut down Holt and Ngapeth.

Nice serving run from Atanasijevic.

Colaci replaced by Cesarini.

Edit: Thought wrong Cesarini is a regular player not a libero.

I don't understand what happened. Red card issued to Perugia. The delay is terrible

I have to thank Bernardi for this set. Rains, He made irregular substitutions