Italy – Superlega 2017/2018

  • Great sign for Trento. No serving fault yet.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • Both teams started very well (Trento with a worst reception but compensated by great solutions in attack after difficult sets), then Perugia played even better and Trento collapsed (mostly for Perugia merits imho, at least until 2 errors in a row by Lanza).


    Very few serve errors in the first set, Perugia probably only 0-1 error with Amazing serves!


    Trento is playing very few pipes so far...

  • De Cecco is saving Perugia. Zaytsev is doing great and Russell is struggling with his passing.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • I love Zaytsev's block tonight. He's closing down on Vettori very neatly.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • Well Russell is always struggling with the passing XD


    Again, great Zaytsev. Now also in blocking.


    Terrible Trento in the end of the second, this time I think it's more due to Trento demerits than to Perugia merits (but Zaytsev was serving very well, to be fair).

  • Zaytsev with "Lo Zar" performance in the second set. :obey:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • I think Trentino is headed on a meltdown.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • Russell is nowhere close to his 100% and still is better in every single way than Lanza (please Trentino, sign him again soon; I have nightmares since the rumor of him in Perugia). Atanasijevic's shape can improve as well.

  • Congrats Perugia! Very well deserved match and very well deserved final!


    I'm happy that both in the series and today at the end Trento didn't let it go.


    I'm having an hard time deciding the best among Zaytsev (I guess I would pick him), De Cecco and Podke...

  • Not bad for Russell. He redeemed himself after he was brought back although He could've played better in the middle of the game.
    Atanasijevic disappeared at the end again although he's been better than the last match.
    Colaci was okay. We need him to come back against Lube.
    Berger was just there perhaps to refocus the serve of Trentino. He was not bad but could've been better.
    De Cecco was one of the better player considering we lost the reception in some stages.
    Anzani and Podrascanin were consistent.
    Zaytsev is the MVP. He was the best in everything and minimal errors too.


    Still not enough to defeat Lube or even Zenit Kazan in their currenr state. I hope they take their time and manage this team better. Perugia absolutely have to take the first game to create early momentum.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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    Edited 2 times, last by Rains ().

  • Lanza is the worst of the night. His extended minutes gave away many points to Perugia. I believe Lorenzetti can do nothing more about it with this roster. Vettori was hitting with low kill percentage. It's simply unworkable without an italian middle blocker to take space for Hoag or Teppan. In my opinion this was the biggest mistake for Trentino. The roster depends so much on Lanza and Vettori's performances.


    I've said it once or twice... when Lanza and Vettori are not playing well. Trento will lose and they did. :white:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • On the other hand, Modena is exploded: instead of only Bruno and Ngapeth, all the team decided to show up together to a well known local tv program and practically said that nobody is happy with Stoytchev.
    Is probably a first in the story of Italian volleyball... (not that everybody dislike the coach, but the public and collective statement).


    It's not clear if the society (or someone in it) knew about it or even accorded the permission to do that.


    Then Modena broke the contract with Stoytchev (so, it seems it's not him who resigned, that would have meant giving up the money...), and finally Catia Pedrini, Modena president, wrote a public letter of apologies for her mistaken choice to put the trio together.

    I thought that nobody mentioned the scandal of the year but, fortunately, there is something about it :) I don't know if this is the right thread for the topic, I hope it won't lead to a diversion or flooding with non-volleyball matter, but it is a topic worth discussing/noticing/reporting, as it might be a precedent indeed. I will leave it here for now.


    I am curious to know what the public opinion in Italy says about the hot topic and then in Modena in general. There are always 2 sides, of course, it is never black or white, I just want to hear the arguments of local fans and of our Italian users here who surely have more sources and know the scandal better. From an almost neutral point of view (because I don't like Ngapeth), I have to say that I understand Pedrini's situation and the pressure she is facing. It isn't the first time Stoychev's name appears in a scandal and some might remember I had difficulties at the beginning of the season imagining him alongside Ngapeth and Bruno. Arousing problems were a matter of time and here they are now, it seems like the rough edges of that partnership never got rounded off. And that it wasn't just hard to digest, but actually inedible. Those who have known me for a longer time know I am not a Stoychev fan, but I have deep respect for him for his results, success (directly and indirectly linked to Bulgaria), principles (quite often), and campaigns and activities for youth volleyball in Bulgaria. You don't have to be a fan or admirer of someone to respect his name and work. I know from a variety of sources that he isn't very easy to work with, he is demanding, sometimes maybe pushing too hard. But coaches of that calibre often deliver. This is the pure reason, I believe, why Pedrini approached him in the first place last year. The project that was being built could've brought success to Modena - on the domestic scene, in Europe, and in the development of a volleyball school (look at Trentino for that matter). Modena could've been successful on the long run without Ngapeth, Bruno, or Stoychev, but the latter (or someone like him) is needed to get the things going. You can't know now what would've happened in the next 2-3 years, but I am sure Stoychev could've become, let's say, Italian champion without Ngapeth and Bruno. Any normal, respected coach with some character would have a vision for his team. And he should because he would be the first one to go if results are scarce. I guess the Modena stars are used to their freedom too much. This might not necessarily be a bad thing, but this is obviously Modena of Bruno and Ngapeth, not of Pedrini, Stoychev or the city, and it will remain so - without a long-term strategy and, quite logically and deservedly so, without some major success (sure, a title and 2 Cups in the recent 10 years, but I am sure even hard-core Modena fans know this is not enough). Funny association comes to my mind now, Ngapeth really resembles Paul Pogba a lot. Not physically but on so many other levels (nationality, coincidence or not, is just one of them). And maybe an unpopular opinion of mine but nevertheless, I find them both overrated.


    Anyway, this got way too long. Just shared my thoughts about the case. Would love to read yours, too.

  • I've said it once or twice... when Lanza and Vettori are not playing well. Trento will lose and they did.


    Well, that's not much of a statement, to be honest :P: name a team that can win vs Perugia with the opposite and an OH playing badly... Even Perugia couldn't win vs Trento with a bad-performing Atanasjievic!


    Honestly I didn't understand why Lorenzetti didn't try Teppan during the second set once he had changed Kovacevic for Hoag (so, it wasn't going to be possible to replace Lanza anymore, so it was ok to put a foreign instead of Vettori without having problems later).




    Yavord, I don't have a precise opinion about Modena matter.
    For sure I believe this collective tv 'fire gun' wasn't nice nor elegant, because it was all against one (that was absent!) and because it was public, while usually I feel that this problem should be managed inside the team/society.
    On the other hand, I can understand it if the players felt it was the only way to be actually heard about how much difficult it would have been for them to keep working with Rado, and how risky it would have been for Modena since there wasn't many top players willing to stick with him/go play with him.


    Still, I do wonder if the situation was really so terrible or if Modena top players are just a bit 'spoiled' about their coach and their environment (and considering how many coaches they had in 3 years, it's not that hard to imagine they're a bit pretending about the coach).
    Also because there are top players that may be now want to stay hell far from Rado, but in the past did survive with him for several years in order to win.


    Probably Stoytchev lacked of the capability to understand that his method needed some changes to fit Modena in general and the characteristic of some of their players. Probably he presented his method as 'universally right', without trying to shape it a bit according to his players capability (and we're speaking of some of the best players in they role in the world and won something as well)...


    Thing is, now it seems like Bruno as all the 'power' in his hands.


  • Well, that's not much of a statement, to be honest :P: name a team that can win vs Perugia with the opposite and an OH playing badly... Even Perugia couldn't win vs Trento with a bad-performing Atanasjievic!


    Honestly I didn't understand why Lorenzetti didn't try Teppan during the second set once he had changed Kovacevic for Hoag (so, it wasn't going to be possible to replace Lanza anymore, so it was ok to put a foreign instead of Vettori without having problems later).


    Well in this game... Atanasijevic and Russell were not really dominant. :gone:


    Although I agree with what you say but have to disagree in some points. Unlike other teams... Hoag and Teppan are as strong or stronger than/as Lanza and Vettori. It's a great luxury for Trentino that was never realized because Vettori or Lanza had to keep on playing despite bad performances.


    What changes do you think they should make for next season?


    I'm hearing rumours that Galassi of Milan will return to Trento back from loan??? so that would solve their problems with the italians in the court and ofcourse buying a world class opposite. They say it's Sokolov but I'm not sure with his remaining one year contract with Civitanova and there's Petkovic of Sora if Mosna still has to buy from the thrift stores. :gone:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • never heard of Sokolov in Trento, in case I read about Ivan but he is very expensive...


    Yeah I'm surprised too but on volleyball.it, he's one of the players in the shopping list of Trentino.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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  • Lube looks stronger and more prepared for this finale. I'm not so sure with Perugia, I hope there's energy left in the tank. It's not going to be easy as before(which frankly was difficult already).

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney