Friendly matches

  • The topic place is OK, I will leave it as it is due to the fact that we are still discussing outcomes of friendlies (to a certain extent). No need to flood the ECH section yet.


    As I said, I only partly agree to the things you described. Bottom line of your comment is - we are dead as soon as we meet Russia and the draw is entirely guilty for that. Excuse me if I misinterpreted what you wanted to imply, but I can't find anything else and lost the idea behind the comment at some point. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the predictions about Germany, Poland and the rest, but I am trying to connect what you say with putting the blame on the "draw". If there has been any.


    First, Russia might not enjoy a great tournament after all, just like they didn't two and four years ago, respectively. Second, it might be the case that neither Bulgaria, nor Russia wins the group. Third, it might be the case that Poland doesn't win its group. Fourth, if they are that scared of Russia, as I said yesterday, avoid them in the quarters, beat another team and there you go. OK, we won't face The Netherlands, for example, there is Poland waiting there, but it might be France just as well. Would it be the draw to blame again? Last, if we cannot beat Germany (nothing against Germany, they are a good team), then we are not ready for medals. As simple as that! Just like the failure against Slovakia two years ago. Criticized or not, Anastasi avoided Russia and got the bronze. So, there is always a way!

    Quote

    Therefore, if we want medals, we practically have to beat every single
    favourite ourselves. So the players would have to make the tournament of
    their lives, something like the Olympics, but harder because we add the
    accumulated pressure from fans, media, etc.

    Not quite! Russia can be avoided, it that's what everyone wants. With a single great match against Poland (or France), we can get to the semis. They don't have to play each game at 100% to reach that phase, one single game would be enough, but we know theoretically they will play 100% every time. I don't think there is that much pressure right now, they haven't won a medal in years, I don't feel there is pressure piling up. And yes, quite often you have to make the tournament of your life to get at least on the podium, it goes like that :)

  • I think our arguments are based on you saying that the glass is half full and me that it is half empty.


    The bottom line of my comment is that we are 90% certainly dead if we meet Russia and if we want to avoid them, we have to sweat our asses and beat consecutively Germany, Poland and Italy to pass to the final. And yes, I can't see anything else that is guilty except the draw.


    About the strength of Germany - I'm not that aware of their current form but I think you underestimate them. I think they, together with France and Serbia are the best teams after the four of Russia-Italy-Poland-Bulgaria. And I think we would find it way more difficult to beat them than Serbia, imo (again, diffiicult match-up for us).


    About the expectations - I hear people around me and read about people's expectations. There isn't such euphoria (like for the domestic WL and OG quallies) but the expectations are sth like "We have to finally play a final. If we are 4th in the Olympics and in the WL, how come we don't get a medal in the ECH?". Of course, the majority of our fans are not experts, just like the majority of everything, so this is expected way of thinking. And we really want a final - we had enough with lost semifinals and then a bronze or more regularly. a fourth place. I don't know how much these expectations will lead to pressure for the players and how would they feel this pressure.


    The only good scenario comming to my mind is that if we beat Russia in the group stage when they can be still "asleep". Then we play vs. the winner of Germany-France in the quarters and possibly Serbia in the semis.

  • In the first stream of the ECH there are 2 strong teams and all other strong teams are in the second stream. Call that a balanced draw. They don't make such draws in basketball or football.

  • second match in Dessau:
    Germany vs Italy 3:0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-18 )
    Best scorers: Grozer (16), Birarelli (12)


    just a friendly, i know, but nevertheless :thumbup:

  • In the first stream of the ECH there are 2 strong teams and all other strong teams are in the second stream. Call that a balanced draw. They don't make such draws in basketball or football.

    They do.

  • Quote

    About the strength of Germany - I'm not that aware of their current form
    but I think you underestimate them. I think they, together with France
    and Serbia are the best teams after the four of
    Russia-Italy-Poland-Bulgaria. And I think we would find it way more
    difficult to beat them than Serbia, imo (again, diffiicult match-up for
    us).

    Nope, I am not underestimating them. It comes to show you that you are practically scared of each opponent we will have :) Germany is, in fact, a great team, but if we cannot beat them, we are not ready for medals! Nothing more to discuss really. And you are also practically implying that Bulgaria needs to play in the company of Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Denmark and so on (no offence, just an example) in order to take a medal. Which I cannot take as true. Stronger opponents or not, if they have grown to win a medal, they will, as was the case back in 2009. Since then they missed several chances, either because of mental issues or technical inability. I am really bewildered that you take the draw as an excuse before the tournament has even started. I appreciate your opinion, even if totally different from mine, but, well, it's only yours ;)

  • 09/16/2013
    Slovakia 1-3 Russia ( 17-25, 22-25, 19-25, 25-20 )
    09/17/2013
    Slovakia 1-3 Russia ( 20-25, 17-25, 20-25, 25-21 )
    Both teams agreed to play an additional set.

  • 27.9.13
    14.00: Belediyesi (TUR) – Olympiacos (GRE) 0-3 (23-25, 18-25, 21-25)
    16.00: Galatasaray(Τουρκία) – CVM Τomis Constanţa (ROM) 3-1
    28.9.13
    14.00: Belediyesi (TUR) – CVM Tomis Constanţa (ROM) 0-3
    16.00: Galatasaray (TUR) – Olympiacos (GRE) 1-3 (25-22, 26-28, 22-25, 16-25)
    29.9.13
    14.00: CVM Tomis Constanţa (ROM) – Olympiacos (GRE)
    16.00: Galatasaray (TUR) - Belediyesi (TUR)

  • Bulgaria - Gubernia 2-3 (25-23, 23-25, 25-16, 25-27, 11-15) Sokolov 26, Aleksiev 18, V. Bratoev 9; Pavlov 22, Savin 15, Tyurin 11
    Bulgaria - Gubernia 0-3 (23-25, 18-25, 25-27) Milushev 13, Aleksiev 13, Skrimov 13; Pavlov 12, Savin 12, Tyurin 12


    Placci tried to rotate the squad as much as possible. Mostly Zhekov played as a setter in the first one, mostly Bratoev in the second one. Sokolov got some rest in the straight-set defeat due to shoulder precautions.


    Bulgaria - Turkey 1-3 (25-23, 21-25, 24-25, 21-25) Sokolov 22; Metin Toy 19


    Georgi Bratoev with the highest statistical score for the Bulgarian team. Aleksiev didn't play, Skrimov got injured, we don't know much more for the time being. One more game between these two teams tomorrow. All these three matches were played in Sofia.


    It's gonna be a tough qualification weekend in Opava, these results are not optimistic at all, to say the least. The team makes a lot of mistakes. A positive sign is that these bad friendly results will make them cautious, we hope for a happy Sunday on the 5th of January.

  • I can't understand two things:


    1) Why are we not the hosts to the qualificaiton - better hall, filled with 15000 for the matches, top 6 team in the world
    2) Why the place is only one? In 2009 we had the same opponents - Czech Republic and Netherlands in Varna and there were 2 places for WCH, now we will have more teams in the finals, but we got qualificaiton with one place, instead of two. What is this mathematics? Are FIVB really that corrupt?

  • I can't understand two things:


    1) Why are we not the hosts to the qualificaiton - better hall, filled with 15000 for the matches, top 6 team in the world
    2) Why the place is only one? In 2009 we had the same opponents - Czech Republic and Netherlands in Varna and there were 2 places for WCH, now we will have more teams in the finals, but we got qualificaiton with one place, instead of two. What is this mathematics? Are FIVB really that corrupt?


    1) We cannot host every single event possible. There will be tournaments or qualifications, which we will have to win away from Sofia. Finland is the only other qualification pool top team that won't host an event, Slovakia might have an advantage at home in Poprad.
    2) Because the CEV qualification process is different. There were also nine teams from Europe (including the host Italy) at the 2010 WCH, but the 2009 European Championship didn't grant any quotas back then. Hence, eight teams from four qualification groups would fill the blanks. Now Russia and Italy skip the qualifiers as 2013 ECH finalists and we have five groups and five group winners. The only missing information for me is where we get the sixth vacancy from, perhaps the best second-ranked team will also qualify.

  • "The winner of each tournament plus the second-ranked team with the best score across
    all five pools will get the right to represent Europe, As for the
    women’s competition, the first-placed of each third round qualifier as
    well as the two second-ranked teams with the best score across all pools
    " cev.lu

  • Yesterday: Germany vs Belgium in Maaseik 3:2 (25-17, 23-25, 16-25, 30-28, 15-13)
    Best german scorers: Denis Kaliberda (19), Jochen Schöps (18 ) and Sebastian Schwarz (17)
    Sebastian Kühner and Michael Andrei made their debuts for NT.


    Tonight there will be the second match. Heynen will will give playing time to each player and won't care too much about the result. He will announce his final 12 player roster on 2nd January.

  • Bulgaria - Turkey 1-3 (25-23, 21-25, 24-25, 21-25) Sokolov 22; Metin Toy 19


    :pinch: Just a friendly, i know, but i hope this result will make the german team cautious as well.

  • Yesterday, The Netherlands - France 0/3 (22-25, 20-25, 21-25)


    Info in lequipe.fr :
    France. Ace : 6. Attack : 37/63. Block : 5. roster : Toniutti, Hardy-Dessources (5), Le Roux (7), N'Gapeth (8.), Lyneel (5), Rouzier (8.)
    and Le Goff (2), Tuia (5), K. Tillie (3), Laffite (1), Sidibé (4). Libero : Grebrennikov. Not play : Redwitz, Rossard. Pays-Bas. Coach : L. Tillie.
    The Netherlands. Ace : 6. Attack : 34/72. Block : 4. roster : Kooistra (3), Rauwerdink (4), Kooy (14), Klapwijk (14), Koelewijn (4)
    and Abdelaziz (4), Harskamp, Ter Horst (1), Krolis, Andringa. Libero : Jorna. Not play : Van Bemmelen. Coach : Benne


    Today, The Netherlands - France 0/3 (21-25, 23-25, 23-25)
    France. Ace : 4. Attack : 43/78. Block : 6. roster : Redwitz (1), Hardy-Dessources (3), Le Roux (4), Ngapeth (16), K. Tillie (6), Rouzier (9)
    and Toniutti, Le Goff (2), Tuia (5), Lafite (2), Sidibé (5). Libero : Grebrennikov. Not play : Lyneel, Rossard. Coach : L. Tillie.
    Pays-Bas. Aces : 1. Attack : 41/85. Block : 8. roster : Kooistra (4), Rauwerdink (11), Kooy (16), Klapwijk (8.), Koelewijn (3), Abdelaziz (4)
    and Harskamp, Krolis, Van Bemmelen, Andringa. Libero : Jorna. Not play : Ter Horst. Coach : Benne.


  • 1) Why are we not the hosts to the qualificaiton - better hall, filled with 15000 for the matches, top 6 team in the world

    Maybe Because your federation decided to host the women's tournament. apparently each country can host only one tournament.

  • does anyone know todays belgium germany match score?


    Germany again wins 3;2 (26-28, 28-26, 14-25, 25-17, 15-10)
    Best german scorers: Christian Fromm (25), Grozer (19)