Russia - Суперлига 2015/16

    #14 (10.02)
    Jenisiej Krasnojarsk - Niżnyj Nowgorod 3:0 (25:19, 25:23, 25:18 ) stats
    Zenit Kazań - Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk 3:0 (25:17, 25:18, 27:25) stats
    Biełogorie Biełgorod - Ural Ufa 3:2 (22:25, 25:16, 16:25, 26:24, 15:8 ) stats
    Dinamo Moskwa - Neftiannik Orienburg 3:0 (25:13, 25:16, 25:18 ) stats
    Gazprom-Jurga Surgut - Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk 3:0 (25:18, 25:13, 25:20) stats
    Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk - Dinamo Krasnodar 3:1 (20:25, 25:19, 25:17, 25:15) stats
    Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj - Kuzbass Kemerowo 3:1 (25:22, 25:22, 21:25, 25:18 ) stats


    Ranking
    1. Zenit 39
    2. Dinamo M 33
    3. Jugra 30
    4. Fakel 28
    5. Bielogorie 27
    6. Lokomotiv 26
    7. Yenisiey 24
    8. Ural 18
    9. Kuzbass 16
    10. Neftyanik 13
    11. Dinamo Kr 13
    12. Nova 11
    13. Samotlor 10
    14. N.Novgorod 6

    #15 (14.02)
    Biełogorie Biełgorod - Neftiannik Orienburg 3:0 (25:10, 25:12, 25:19) stats
    Niżnyj Nowgorod - Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj 1:3 (19:25, 25:23, 18:25, 20:25) stats
    Zenit Kazań - Ural Ufa 3:0 (25:22, 25:17, 25:19) stats
    Jurga-Samotłor - Dinamo Moskwa 3:2 (25:19, 25:20, 20:25, 14:25, 15:11) stats
    Dinamo Krasnodar - Gazprom-Jurga Surgut 0:3 (20:25, 16:25, 19:25) stats
    Kuzbass Kemerowo - Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk 3:1 (23:25, 25:22, 29:27, 25:23) stats
    Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk - Jenisiej Krasnojarsk 2:3 (19:25, 26:24, 18:25, 25:18, 9:15) stats


    Ranking
    1. Zenit 42
    2. Dinamo M 34
    3. Jugra 33
    4. Fakel 31
    5. Bielogorie 30
    6. Lokomotiv 26
    7. Yenisiey 26
    8. Kuzbass 19
    9. Ural 18
    10. Neftyanik 13
    11. Dinamo Kr 13
    12. Nova 12
    13. Samotlor 12
    14. N.Novgorod 6

    #16
    Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk - Niżnyj Nowgorod 3:1 (22:25, 25:13, 25:18, 25:12) stats
    Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk - Ural Ufa 3:2 (20:25, 25:18, 21:25, 25:19, 15:13) stats
    Zenit Kazań - Neftiannik Orienburg 3:0 (25:6, 25:15, 25:14) stats
    Biełogorie Biełgorod - Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk 3:0 (31:29, 25:19, 25:18 ) stats
    Dinamo Moskwa - Dinamo Krasnodar 3:1 (23:25, 25:22, 25:17, 25:17) stats
    Gazprom-Jugra Surgut - Kuzbass Kemerowo 3:1 (25:23, 21:25, 25:21, 25:17) stats
    Jenisiej Krasnojarsk - Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj 2:3 (26:28, 25:20, 25:23, 20:25, 14:16) stats


    Ranking
    1. Zenit 45
    2. Dinamo M 37
    3. Jugra 36
    4. Fakel 33
    5. Bielogorie 33
    6. Lokomotiv 29
    7. Yenisiey 27
    8. Kuzbass 19
    9. Ural 19
    10. Nova 14
    11. Dinamo Kr 13
    12. Neftyanik 13
    13. Samotlor 12
    14. N.Novgorod 6

    A good round today as Kuzbass beats Dinamo Moscow in Kemerovo - in five sets, as usual. I am curious which way Romanas Skulevicius is going to develop. A very gifted opp but in need of a good coach/environment.

    Quote from powsoff

    A good round today as Kuzbass beats Dinamo Moscow in Kemerovo - in five sets, as usual. I am curious which way Romanas Skulevicius is going to develop. A very gifted opp but in need of a good coach/environment.


    What's wrong with Dinamo Moscow? Are there technical reasons for the obvious decline they have been facing lately or is it just psychological? To me, it seems like it all started with the straight-set Champions League defeat in Germany against Friedrichshafen. They had to move to the CEV Cup which probably did not make their board and players very happy. They are doing fine in Krasnoyarsk at the time of writing this post, but they also have important games till the end of the season in Russia, i.e. versus Zenit, Belogorie, Fakel, Ugra.

    Quote from YavorD


    What's wrong with Dinamo Moscow? Are there technical reasons for the obvious decline they have been facing lately or is it just psychological? To me, it seems like it all started with the straight-set Champions League defeat in Germany against Friedrichshafen. They had to move to the CEV Cup which probably did not make their board and players very happy. They are doing fine in Krasnoyarsk at the time of writing this post, but they also have important games till the end of the season in Russia, i.e. versus Zenit, Belogorie, Fakel, Ugra.

    There are obviously several reasons but I would cautiously say that Dinamo ended up playing way too many avoidable tie-breaks this season (8 in 18 league games + 2 in the top-level domestic Cup), which I would blame on their coaching team. There is nothing bad about losing to Kazan in five sets but slipping into a five-setter vs Samotlor or Orenburg sounds a bit like a lack of focus. Especially given that the return legs against these teams were easy 3-0s. Dinamo has an excellent squad but at the same time they're very tight in numbers - e.g. first half of the season they effectively had two OHs (Berezhko, Markin plus sometimes Zaytsev). I don't think they can afford being that wasteful: either you guys make sure you wrap things up swiftly or... just focus on one task.


    The problem was there more or less from the start of the season (see e.g. the game in Paris) but the break point was the New Year AFAIC. They had a very shaky January having lost to Fakel and barely beating Kuzbass, both at home, both in five sets, both with ridiculous scores. Dinamo started both games by going down two sets, at times letting the opponent to side-out literally effortlessly. The Friedrichshafen game was vastly a copy of the Fakel and Kuzbass encounters (22 all in the first two sets), with the difference that Dinamo fell apart in the third set - and here the credit goes to the German team.


    I already wrote this here, I believe Dinamo board/sponsors are likely to prioritise the silver of the domestic league to qualifying for F4 of the ChL. Or I would put it like that, not finishing "in medals" at home sounds like a big "no-no" to me. If you take a look at the table of the Superleague, slipping into the fifth spot is a matter of two losses for Moscow - and, as you have spotted, they have several difficult games coming.

    I already said it. I don't think the players are playing for the coach, They've had some injuries as well. Not sure why Zaytsev was benched for a few games, and thy lost Obmochaev for the last part of January where they lost those games. Them not coming out in the Champions League also hurt and I think they are just going through the motions. I have a feeling there will be a new coach for next season.

    #17 (24.02)
    Niżnyj Nowgorod - Gazprom-Jurga Surgut 0:3 (19:25, 15:25, 21:25) stats
    Neftiannik Orienburg - Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk 2:3 (25:19, 25:20, 25:27, 21:25, 13:15) stats
    Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk - Zenit Kazań 1:3 (25:21, 15:25, 29:31, 19:25) stats
    Dinamo Krasnodar - Biełogorie Biełgorod 1:3 (26:24, 20:25, 20:25, 20:25) stats
    Kuzbass Kemerowo - Dinamo Moskwa 3:2 (11:25, 25:23, 21:25, 25:20, 15:10) stats
    Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk - Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj 3:0 (25:22, 25:19, 25:21) stats
    Ural Ufa - Jenisiej Krasnojarsk 3:2 (18:25, 23:25, 26:24, 26:24, 15:9) stats


    #18 (27.02)
    Ural Ufa - Niżnyj Nowgorod 3:0 (25:17, 26:24, 25:15) stats
    Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk - Dinamo Krasnodar 3:1 (29:27, 23:25, 27:25, 25:16) stats
    Neftiannik Orienburg - Kuzbass Kemerowo 1:3 (16:25, 25:20, 25:27, 19:25) stats
    Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk - Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj 0:3 (22:25, 20:25, 13:25) stats
    Zenit Kazań - Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk 3:0 (25:20, 25:23, 25:13) stats
    Biełogorie Biełgorod - Gazprom-Jurga Surgut 3:1 (25:20, 25:23, 21:25, 25:21) stats
    Jenisiej Krasnojarsk - Dinamo Moskwa 0:3 (13:25, 15:25, 22:25) stats


    #19 (05.03)
    Niżnyj Nowgorod - Biełogorie Biełgorod 0:3 (15:25, 13:25, 26:28 ) stats
    Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk - Ural Ufa 2:3 (25:17, 20:25, 19:25, 25:20, 11:15) stats
    Dinamo Krasnodar - Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk 1:3 (12:25, 18:25, 25:20, 20:25) stats
    Kuzbass Kemerowo - Zenit Kazań 2:3 (23:25, 25:20, 25:22, 19:25, 14:16) stats
    Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj - Dinamo Moskwa 3:2 (25:21, 16:25, 25:22, 24:26, 15:11) stats
    Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk - Gazprom-Jurga Surgut 3:2 (25:23, 18:25, 23:25, 25:18, 15:12) stats
    Neftiannik Orienburg - Jenisiej Krasnojarsk 3:2 (20:25, 19:25, 25:19, 25:23, 15:8 ) stats


    Ranking
    1. Zenit 53
    2. Bielogorie 42
    3. Dinamo M 42
    4. Jugra 40
    5. Fakel 38
    6. Lokomotiv 34
    7. Yenisiey 29
    8. Ural 26
    9. Kuzbass 25
    10. Nova 19
    11. Samotlor 16
    12. Neftyanik 16
    13. Dinamo Kr 13
    14. N.Novgorod 6

    With Skulevicius, Kuzbass is a proper team. Still raw and therefore not victorious today but I have to say, the anti-Zenit strategy overall worked well. Tough serve, float into Leon, Leon/Anderson/Mikhaylov well silenced by the block and a very good defense from effectively the rear line. Sadly, wasted the first set.

    #20 (09.03)
    Niżnyj Nowgorod - Zenit Kazań 0:3 (22:25, 19:25, 25:27) stats
    Neftiannik Orienburg - Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk 3:1 (16:25, 25:15, 25:18, 25:22) stats
    Ural Ufa - Dinamo Krasnodar 3:1 (23:25, 25:20, 25:13, 25:19) stats
    Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk - Kuzbass Kemerowo 1:3 (20:25, 25:20, 20:25, 23:25) stats
    Biełogorie Biełgorod - Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj 3:0 (26:24, 25:14, 27:25) stats
    Dinamo Moskwa - Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk 3:0 (25:15, 25:17, 27:25) stats
    Jenisiej Krasnojarsk - Gazprom-Jurga Surgut 3:0 (25:20, 25:22, 25:15) stats


    Ranking
    1. Zenit 56
    2. Bielogorie 45
    3. Dinamo M 45
    4. Jugra 40
    5. Fakel 38
    6. Lokomotiv 34
    7. Yenisiey 32
    8. Ural 29
    9. Kuzbass 28
    10. Nova 19
    11. Neftyanik 19
    12. Samotlor 16
    13. Dinamo Kr 13
    14. N.Novgorod 6

    #21 (12.03)
    Niżnyj Nowgorod - Nowa Nowokujbyszewsk 2:3 (19:25, 23:25, 25:20, 25:18, 15:17)
    Dinamo Krasnodar - Neftiannik Orienburg 3:0 (25:18, 25:23, 25:20) stats
    Kuzbass Kemerowo - Ural Ufa 3:1 (19:25, 25:23, 25:23, 25:23) stats
    Fakieł Nowyj Urengoj - Zenit Kazań 0:3 (22:25, 21:25, 18:25) stats
    Lokomotiw Nowosybirsk - Biełogorie Biełgorod 1:3 (25:18, 20:25, 17:25, 23:25) stats
    Gazprom-Jurga Surgut - Dinamo Moskwa 2:3 (25:20, 25:20, 26:28, 22:25, 8:15) stats
    Jurga-Samotłor Niżniewartowsk - Jenisiej Krasnojarsk 3:1 (13:25, 25:22, 25:17, 25:20) stats


    Ranking
    1. Zenit 59
    2. Bielogorie 48
    3. Dinamo M 47
    4. Jugra 41
    5. Fakel 38
    6. Lokomotiv 34
    7. Yenisiey 32
    8. Kuzbass 31
    9. Ural 29
    10. Nova 21
    11. Neftyanik 19
    12. Samotlor 19
    13. Dinamo Kr 16
    14. N.Novgorod 7

    Dinamo and Ugra predictably played yet another five-setter. Moscow had once again lost first two sets by a decent margin but then they were 5:11 down in the third set with things looking pretty dire to them. At that point, Ugra had shown an idiotic attitude by letting the rivals to equalise by the 17th point. Their flamboyant coach got them back into the game (24:22 for Ugra) but no, they've managed to screw up and gave the set to Dinamo. After which the Surgut team had effectively accepted the home defeat. What started as a great game, ended up as a comedy. Oh yes, Berezhko and Biryukov won the game for Dinamo. Good job WADA selected Markin not Berezhko :).

    Gazprom-Ugra with a full squad in Novokuybishevsk against NOVA. The story has already started smelling quite badly, but perhaps might get hushed up just like always.