2013 World Grand Champions Cup for Men

  • Also, how serious is Mousavi's injury?


    According to Iranian Federation it's not that serious - no bone fracture or tendon rupture. He needs some rest for at least a week, then he should be back to playing conditions.


    http://iranvolleyball.com/Cont…3%D9%88%DB%8C%20%20-.aspx

  • If forgott to ask: I would apprciate any link to rewatch Iranian match. Fifth set would be enough :wavy:

    link for Iran-USA :thumbup:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yqGs2vbHDY



    Two questions to the knowledgeable ones. What happened to Iran's regular opposite, Amir Ghafour? He started the tournament and has been out of the 12-men roster ever since. Also, how serious is Mousavi's injury?

    Ghafour got injured (ankle) in the first match, nothing serious like Mousavi, they both have to rest for 2 weeks

  • Brazil's reception crashed pretty hard and almost gave the set away to Italy. Still 2 sets ahead! :cheesy:


    ETA: I just can't deal with Maurício anymore. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST
    (kudos do Baranowicz though, he improved Italy's game a lot)

  • LIVE NOW!!
    FIVB Men's Volleyball Grand Champions Cup 2013
    Venue: the Kyoto Prefectural Gymnasium and the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
    Kyoto &Tokyo, Japan
    Date: November 19 to 24, 2013
    19-20/11/2013
    Kyoto Prefectural Gymnasium
    22-24/11/2013
    Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium


    Participating Teams: 6
    Japan: Host Country
    Brazil: 2013 South American Champions
    United States: 2013 NORCECA Champions
    Russia: 2013 European Champions
    Iran: 2013 Asian Champions
    Italy: Wild Card


    5th. DAY
    November 24, 2013
    Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
    Tokyo, Japan


    BRAZIL vs ITALY
    FIVB Men's Volleyball Grand Champions Cup 2013
    24-11-2013
    03:10 (GMT/UTC Time)
    10:10 - 12:40 (Thailand Time: GMT/UTC + 7:00 hrs.)
    http://www.sportlemon.tv/20131…8bd1.36996554-690432.html
    OR
    http://livetv.sx/en/eventinfo/201858_brazil_italy/
    http://cdn.livetv.sx/webplayer…58&lid=175180&ci=299&si=5
    ..............................................................


    USA vs RUSSIA
    FIVB Men's Volleyball Grand Champions Cup 2013
    24-11-2013
    06:10 (GMT/UTC Time)
    13:10 - 15:40 (Thailand Time: GMT/UTC + 7:00 hrs.)
    http://www.sportlemon.tv/20131…1e62.29307441-690433.html
    OR
    http://livetv.sx/en/eventinfo/201859_usa_russia/
    ..............................................................


    JAPAN vs IRAN
    FIVB Men's Volleyball Grand Champions Cup 2013
    24-11-2013
    09:10 (GMT/UTC Time)
    16:10 - 18:40 (Thailand Time: GMT/UTC + 7:00 hrs.)
    http://www.sportlemon.tv/20131…0fd2.21265870-690434.html
    OR
    http://livetv.sx/en/eventinfo/201860_japan_iran/
    ..............................................................

  • FINALLY


    But I can't even celebrate because this loser's mentality is still in the back of my head.
    Hopefully watching the podium in a few hours will make me forget this for a while.


    Congrats to Brazil! It's been a long time coming.

  • FINALLY


    But I can't even celebrate because this loser's mentality is still in the back of my head.
    Hopefully watching the podium in a few hours will make me forget this for a while.


    Congrats to Brazil! It's been a long time coming.


    I think Brazil's strength has also been their weakness against Russia. They play such a strong team game with such strong emotions together which sometimes means there isn't that one leader who can take charge and become a scoring machine when needed. When they get nervous at tense moments, they all get nervous! Also Russia have got a very strong combination of players at the moment - Pavlov and Sivozhelez along with Muzersky are just very good, and then when you add the others, there isnt really a lot of weakness. Also Russia are very aggressive, shouting and gesturing over the net because they know that it puts people off, and the younger Brazilian players seem unable to handle this kind of situation.




    But this is normal so Brazil are not necessarily in danger yet - they need to adjust. Like the women were able to do with the dominance of the USA, or dominance of Italy in 2007 - Brazil have shown that they are worthy champions, and can come back strong. There have always been other teams with better players than Brazil - even when Giba and Dante and the others were playing, but Brazil still won against them - they need to find a way to do the same with a new group of players. I would like to see Murillo back for one of the outside positions because it is still a a little bit of a weakness - Lucarelli gets better every time. I cant wait to see how this rivalry with russia pans out in the next two years before Rio!

  • Also Russia are very aggressive, shouting and gesturing over the net because they know that it puts people off, and the younger Brazilian players seem unable to handle this kind of situation.


    I agree with your analysis about Brazilian strong team game and no leader in the difficult moment but not about aggressive Russian game under the net. Only one in Russian team provokes the other. We all know who is he (Spiridonov :lol:, who I don't like much for his behavior). But Spiridonov was out after first set, so, there weren't such problem anymore. Musersky is calm all the time (I watched this game on Italian TV and even they said the same). Mikhailov, Grankin - ignore everybody. Apalikov usually tries to kill everybody with the sights but not with words. Rarely we see Russian team arguing with referee (if it's not Spiridonov) about some decisions or points.


  • I think Brazil's strength has also been their weakness against Russia. They play such a strong team game with such strong emotions together which sometimes means there isn't that one leader who can take charge and become a scoring machine when needed. When they get nervous at tense moments, they all get nervous! Also Russia have got a very strong combination of players at the moment - Pavlov and Sivozhelez along with Muzersky are just very good, and then when you add the others, there isnt really a lot of weakness. Also Russia are very aggressive, shouting and gesturing over the net because they know that it puts people off, and the younger Brazilian players seem unable to handle this kind of situation.

    Brazil seems to play football on the volleyball court. They score quick goals and then wait until the game is over. In the Russia game the team was progressively dropping down from the starting set, the same was with Italy. On the other hand, Russia didn't roll into the game from the very start, they were playing very lazy volleyball until Makarov and Pavlov were introduced. By the way, Lucas was once again completely eaten by Muserskiy. He performed very good from the service line but scored less than 50% in attack making childish mistakes


    Regarding the aggression over the net I suggest you don't forget to "look in the mirror". In my view, whaterver Russia do on court they will never match such provocateur professionals like Brazil and Italy. E.g. take a careful look at what Mauricio was doing in the Brazil - Russia game. Game-wise, the chap was seriously stuck in the block but otherwise don't you think that his jesticulations were quite shameful? There is no player in the whole Brazil team (apart from Lucas) who can admit their own error. Rezende (the coach) is a troublemaker too. Just look at how the Rezende family talked to the Ref. There is traditionally lots of theatre in the Brazil team and unfortunately they set the trend here. Just like wearing sleeveless jerseys :).


    But this is normal so Brazil are not necessarily in danger yet - they need to adjust. Like the women were able to do with the dominance of the USA, or dominance of Italy in 2007 - Brazil have shown that they are worthy champions, and can come back strong. There have always been other teams with better players than Brazil - even when Giba and Dante and the others were playing, but Brazil still won against them - they need to find a way to do the same with a new group of players. I would like to see Murillo back for one of the outside positions because it is still a a little bit of a weakness - Lucarelli gets better every time. I cant wait to see how this rivalry with russia pans out in the next two years before Rio!


    Brazil need another OH as Mauricio looks like a good substitute but not more than that. Murilo was their best player in 2012 but by 2016 can be very much in the shape of today's Giba. Sidao is the next retirement candidate. Wallace becomes better and better, Lucarelli indeed grows up. Can be an able team by 2016. But actually the World Ch next year will show the main gains.

  • First: Congrats to Brazil for winning the tournament, although the loss against Russia will surely hurt them a lot.


    I really liked the way Wallace played. Bruno is mostly setting quite tight to the net for him, but he he often finds a way around the block. I often thought "How the hell could he hit this ball stll longline" ?( .


    Regarding aggression on court: Come on guys, this is professional men's volleyball. A scary look through the net and some kind of aggression and trash talk has always and imo should always be part of the game. At least to me, that makes the game more entertaining.

  • All-star Team


    Setter: Bruno (Brazil)
    Opposite: Wallace (Brazil)
    OH: Lanza (Italy), Ilinykh (Russia)
    MB: Holt (USA), Birarelli (Italy)
    Libero: Zarif (Iran)


    MVP: Muserskiy :thumbup:

  • I agree with your analysis about Brazilian strong team game and no leader in the difficult moment but not about aggressive Russian game under the net. Only one in Russian team provokes the other. We all know who is he (Spiridonov :lol:, who I don't like much for his behavior). But Spiridonov was out after first set, so, there weren't such problem anymore. Musersky is calm all the time (I watched this game on Italian TV and even they said the same). Mikhailov, Grankin - ignore everybody. Apalikov usually tries to kill everybody with the sights but not with words. Rarely we see Russian team arguing with referee (if it's not Spiridonov) about some decisions or points.


    actually Sppiridonov seems to have calmed down a bit more. Maybe its just a cultural thing and so it is not seen as aggressive but as being competitive. But Sivozhelez is very confrontational - and sometimes so blatant about it. He gesticulates over the net a lot, and I am not talking just about the Brazilian matches - and against Brazil, he was doing it a lot. I am not coming from a perspective of comparing Brazil over Russia in terms of who does what and when (and today it wasn't Brazilian provoked by the way - Sivozhelez used it as a way to get his team going as soon as he came on court. Fair enough, he used it very successfully, especially against the young Evandro.



    But that was my point - that Brazil were also overwhelmed by that play of Russia - when they shouldn't have.


    And that is definitely part of how Russia play, like Obmachaeva in the women's team. Not everyone in the team does it so overtly, but it is tolerated more than in any other team as far as I can see.


    In any case, Russia do have bragging rights as they are the best team in the world right now

  • But Sivozhelez is very confrontational - and sometimes so blatant about it. He gesticulates over the net a lot, and I am not talking just about the Brazilian matches - and against Brazil, he was doing it a lot... and today it wasn't Brazilian provoked by the way - Sivozhelez used it as a way to get his team going as soon as he came on court. Fair enough, he used it very successfully, especially against the young Evandro.

    He did it only once and at that point (9:4 in the tie-break) the outcome looked pretty clear so I wouldn't talk about massive success. Spirik and Makarov are the two activists in Russian team.


    What I truly struggle to understand is how on Earth one can shout "out" and raise his hands assuming total innocence when the ball falls into the pitch just in from of him (e.g. Lipe, Mauricio). Maybe this is cultural but neither these chaps nor their fans seem to understand how seriously wrong this is.


  • I hope this may become a good stimulus for Ilinykh. He used to be a very promising player, someone like Atanasijevic but with a better reception. He had a decent tournament so hopefully he'll become a permanent member of the starting six.


    Also, I should mention Iran as a team. Had Russia started playing seriously from the very beginning of the tournament, Iran would have taken the fully deserved third spot. One would point out the undeniable role of Velasco but at the same time Iran has OK junior teams (around 4-5 place in the World Champ). If they carry on like this then the Olympic QF is very realistic - and then who knows? :)

  • Suddenly the statistics of the best setter in the FIVB page is nowhere to be found. I bet Grankin won that thing. :whistling:

  • I'm pretty happy with this to be honest. I'd just switch Holt for Lucão and Zarif for Shoji.
    Glad to see Lanza and Birarelli get some love; the first one surprised me a lot in this tournament (hopefully that translates to his performance with Trento) and Bira is terribly underrated.


    Regarding Brazil's instability, I do agree they need someone who can decide games for them when things get serious. Thankfully Wallace has improved his mentality quite a bit and is able to score more without as much blank moments. The OHs are still a problem and the team needs Murilo back, they can't keep protecting Maurício in reception all the time. Hell, Thiago Alves was sitting in the bench the whole time and he's having a great season, it'd been a good option to put him in and make use of his good connection with Bruno.


    There's another thing about Brazil that was evidently clear this tournament: Wallace + Evandro >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Vissotto + Wallace. Evandro fits the team so much better it's ridiculous. It was also a pleasure to watch Rapha play more often, although I wish William could've been there too. :cheesy:

  • He did it only once and at that point (9:4 in the tie-break) the outcome looked pretty clear so I wouldn't talk about massive success. Spirik and Makarov are the two activists in Russian team.


    What I truly struggle to understand is how on Earth one can shout "out" and raise his hands assuming total innocence when the ball falls into the pitch just in from of him (e.g. Lipe, Mauricio). Maybe this is cultural but neither these chaps nor their fans seem to understand how seriously wrong this is.




    Dont realy want to labour the point, but Sivo did it several times in that match. He also does it quite a lot in other matches. But like I said, its probably just a cultural thing. Its also quite interesting that after Illnyk won the player of the match award, he was quite ungracious when receiving his award - note the expression on the Japanese official who gave him the award - he was quite put off by it as well. I'm sure Illnyk didn't even realise that - but note how every other player when receiving that award tries to follow the etiquette of it.


    Saying a ball is out when its in is something every player does. Even the American and Japanese players who I consider very sporting do the same. This is just part of the sport. It is not the same as other behaviours.
    But dont get me wrong - even though I dont like it - I think Russia are entitled to play as they please , and they ARE the current no 1 team really since Olympics as they have won the important matches.