QuoteWhat are your thoughts on Berlin's season so far?
To be honest I didn't get to see any of Berlin's matches this season.
The 0-3 loss to Friedrichshafen came a bit unexpected, as did the win against Asseco Resovia Rzeszów.
All in all I'd say they are doing okay and still have some time to improve to top level play.
I expected a bit more from Buhl in their recent games. Hence, I am little disappointed they didn't take even a point at home against Dueren. Especially when comparing this game to the season opener (3-0 away at Dueren). Lubos Kostolani and most of the Buhl team started the season much better than what they are showing now. Only Plotyczer (and Mauler to some extent) seem to be improving lately, whereas Kostolani's form has seriously dropped. Mote was absent, but I don't think it's much of an excuse. Also, I expected Buhl to play way better against Toulouse in Europe. The start of the season and the squad they have made me optimistic that they were surely heading to the bronze medals, but perhaps Tim was right, Dueren's chances for the third place are now more real than ever.
I expected a bit more from Buhl in their recent games. Hence, I am little disappointed they didn't take even a point at home against Dueren. Especially when comparing this game to the season opener (3-0 away at Dueren). Lubos Kostolani and most of the Buhl team started the season much better than what they are showing now. Only Plotyczer (and Mauler to some extent) seem to be improving lately, whereas Kostolani's form has seriously dropped. Mote was absent, but I don't think it's much of an excuse. Also, I expected Buhl to play way better against Toulouse in Europe. The start of the season and the squad they have made me optimistic that they were surely heading to the bronze medals, but perhaps Tim was right, Dueren's chances for the third place are now more real than ever.
Bühl had a very tough schedule during the last weeks, including national and european cup. Probably it paid out for Düren not to play in europe this year.
Bühl is still playing the cup semi on 28.12 and then they will have a little break until their next match. They are a completely new team and spending some time in the gym, doing some practicing will probably do them well.
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What are your thoughts on Berlin's season so far?
To be honest I didn't get to see any of Berlin's matches this season.
The 0-3 loss to Friedrichshafen came a bit unexpected, as did the win against Asseco Resovia Rzeszów.
All in all I'd say they are doing okay and still have some time to improve to top level play.
I am worrying a bit about their key players Kromm, Carroll and Kawika Shoji. Their performances were really shaky so far and Berlin definitely need them in shape for the big matches still to come. Scott Touzinsky, on the other hand, is playing a great season. 
Going into the season with only three OHs, and one of them being De Marchis, who hasn't convinced yet, could still turn out to be a mistake as well. But we will see......
Btw, welcome to the forum 
Ranking:
matches/points
1. Friedrichshafen 11 / 30
2. Berlin 10 / 27
3. Bühl 12 / 24
4. Düren 11 / 22
5. Rottenburg 12 / 20
6. Netzhoppers 11 / 17
7. Lüneburg 11 / 17
8. TSV Herrsching 12 / 13
9. CV Mitteldeutschland 11 / 10
10. Coburg/Grub 11 / 8
11. VCO Berlin 14 / 1
Tonight, the Cup semi-finals will be played:
18.00 / SVG Lüneburg vs. Düren (livestream: http://svg-lueneburg.de/bundesliga/svg-live-cam/ )
18.00 / TV Bühl vs. VfB Friedrichshafen (one-camera-stream, http://www.vbl.tv )
Friedrichshafen and Düren are the favourites tonight, but maybe their home crowds, buth halls are "sold out", can push Lüneburg and Bühl to a surprise 
German Cup semi-finals:
SVG Lüneburg vs. Düren 3:2 (20:25, 25:23, 25:18, 19:25, 15:10)
http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2014-15/Men/&7016.pdf
TV Bühl vs. VfB Friedrichshafen 1:3 (22:25, 16:25, 25:21, 22:25)
http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2014-15/Men/&7017.pdf
What a stellar night in Lüneburg, yesterday they wrote german volleyball history....... 
They managed to beat Düren and reached the cup final in Halle. That was truly one of my best ever live-experiences in Volleyball. The usually cool-tempered northern-germans really went berzerk and created an unbelievable athmosphere.
The victory was well deserved, even the injuries of Falko Steinke and Scott Kervorken couldn't stop them. Especially both OHs, Tijmen Laane and Rene Bahlburg, had a great match. Bahlburg probably made the match of his life.......
Weak link for Düren yesterday was OH Steve Hunt and Lüneburg exploited that perfectly. Serve/reception, good coaching and a perfect matchplan by Hübner/Schlesinger was the key for success.
I so wish I could have been there. Especially since Lüneburg is not that far away from where I live, but I have heard that the venue is small and tickets are hard to get.
Lüneburg will be playing Herrsching tomorrow. Let's see if they can keep their winning streak.
I so wish I could have been there. Especially since Lüneburg is not that far away from where I live, but I have heard that the venue is small and tickets are hard to get.
Sounds like we are almost neighbours......
The venue in Lüneburg is really small. Barely 800 people capacity, including a lot of standing places. We already cared for tickets some weeks ago so there is not much room for spontanity. They expect that they will sell out all their home matches.
Matches today:
03.01.15 / 19.30 / TV Rottenburg vs. Netzhoppers, one-camera-stream http://www.vbl.tv
03.01.15 / 20.00 / SVG Lüneburg vs. TSV Herrsching, stream: http://svg-lueneburg.de/bundesliga/svg-live-cam/
And they win again! Not so much of a suprise this time 3-0 vs. Herrsching.
...and about that neighbour thing, Lüneburg is a good one hour drive south for me. So if your name's appendix is any indication, I should be hectorSH 
OK, it looks like we have a little fanclub here..... 
results
03.01.15 / 19.30 / TV Rottenburg vs. Netzhoppers 3:0 (29:27,25:16,25:14)
no stats yet
03.01.15 / 20.00 / SVG Lüneburg vs. TSV Herrsching 3:0 (25:14,25:20,25:19)
stats: http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2014-15/Men/&1072.pdf
Lüneburg was extremely dominant, in every aspect. In the end of second and third set they still allowed Herrsching to score some points, so that the result looks a bit less humiliating. MVP, once again, Tijmen Laane
On Wednesday, Berlin is coming to Lüneburg........
Lüneburg done it
Next one please...... 
07.01.15 /20.00/ SVG Lüneburg vs. BERLIN RECYCLING Volleys 3:2 (25:22,22:25,25:19,24:26,15:10)
http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2014-15/Men/&1118.pdf
Couldn't watch it live 
Its official now, the victory against Düren wasn't just an accident. Falko Steinke was back after injury and carried the team on attack. Great to see as well how a player like Michel Schlien, who never went through any high level "academy", turned into a very very decent Bundesliga player. Probably Hübner could teach him one or another thing. I am very happy for the club and team and hope this euphoria will still last a while
07.01.15 /20.00/ SWD powervolleys DÜREN vs. VfB Friedrichshafen 0:3 (17:25,19:25,17:25)
http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2014-15/Men/&1074.pdf
07.01.15 /20.00/ SVG Lüneburg vs. BERLIN RECYCLING Volleys 3:2 (25:22,22:25,25:19,24:26,15:10)
The matchball: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=900570643306861&fref=nf
Mattson vs. Kromm 
ju
Judging from the stats, BRV played with some bench players, didn't they?
Shoji K. sucks. I want to see Kuhner LOL!
Judging from the stats, BRV played with some bench players, didn't they?
Well, technically, only de Marchis is clear bench player, but he was subbed for Kromm at the end of second set, which Berlin won. Paul Carroll was injured and Dünnes played for him. But so far, Carroll was shaky as well, so he is not the clear number 1 at the moment.
Probably, Berlin has to put all his hope on the play offs and a stabilisation of shape of their key players. They look very ordinary at the moment, whereas Friedrichshafen stabilized and is having a good run. If VfB wins in Berlin (17th January) they have almost booked the first place.
Btw, another match video, including cool court actions and statements of english speaking players:
http://www.lzplay.de/videos/28…triumph-gegen-den-meister
I thought K.Shoji was world class while watching the world league last year. Is he that bad in Germany?
I thought K.Shoji was world class while watching the world league last year. Is he that bad in Germany?
Well, i think the user martee has a little bias towards Kühner for some personal reasons and you should see his comment in this perspective
I don't think that K. Shoji is "that" bad but he played shaky so far this season, just as lot of his team mates did. His blocking and set selection, especially in the matches against Friedrichshafen were rather poor, so i wouldn't consider him true "world class" at the moment......