2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

  • Bulgaria walked over Belgium by an absolutely convincing 3-0 !!! Congratulations to Vasileva, Ruseva, Dimitrova, Simeonova, Nenova.....


    Now, all 8 european vacancies are finally determined: AZE, BUL, GER, ITA, NED, RUS, SRB, TUR


    wow. that's exactly the same 8 teams in 2014, except for NED instead of BEL! unless i missed someone (were there 9 euro teams 3 years ago?)... how barely things change. GER got really lucky in this Q...

  • ok, i finished watching the GRE x NED match. vasilantonaki caught fire in the 3rd set. she really hits well from back row, and she is also used for passing, which is not easy for such a tall girl. but overall, it was just target practice for the NED. they used the whole bench, except dijkema, who never came on.


    why does laola have only NED matches??????

  • wow. that's exactly the same 8 teams in 2014, except for NED instead of BEL! unless i missed someone (were there 9 euro teams 3 years ago?)... how barely things change. GER got really lucky in this Q...


    The teams emerged as participants for the WC are okay I think, despite I'm sorry for Belgium, but they were simply to weak in this decisive tournament, maybe they lack currently especially a strong setter after retirement of Fraucke Dirickxx.


    Regarding Germany: no doubt the team had luck with the drawing (opposed to the men's team), but both German national teams have to qualify for this competition anyway, and that DVV men's team failed, is embarassing to no end and will ruin their world ranking. Our womens team should stay about its not too good ranking anyway...

  • Dutch blocking today is definitely on fire :white:
    Surprised to see old Nenova, Strashimira Filipova and Mariya Filipova back, I thought they wouldn't easily come back with NT Jersey.

  • Bulgaria will never stand a chance against teams with strong serving and good tactical play. They have physically strong individual players, but as in the past, they never manage to get it all together into a convincing team performance. It's enough to be stronger than many other teams, but not to among the absolute best.

  • Morrison told the dutch girls to serve on Vasileva and his tactic is (surely) working well. I wonder how many balls she has passed so far :white:

  • Yep, I wish they terminated the match more beautifully, I hate it when a game gets done with a stupid error :(

  • Honestly, I expected a tougher match...but, as already mentioned, the tactic - serving at Vasileva - worked really well.


    I'm sorry for Plak and Buijs but Sloetjes and Daalderop are better. Plak could be really helpful in attack and serve at double-sub. For Buijs I see no good opportunities anymore, considering Daalderop's age ( 18 ).


    Bongaerts has developed well. Femke played better than expected!


    Knip and Schoot did well. I'm curious wether Morisson will take both of them (together with Stam) to ECH..


    My only concern for Dutch team is the MB-positon....if Koolhaas and Polder are 3rd and 4th MB there is a big problem...


    It seems the coöperation between staff and players has improved a lot.

  • I think it's pretty early still to say bye Buijs and Plak because Daalderop and Sloëtjes are better. While I do agree with you from what I have seen so far. Daalderop has been playing amazing today and so did Sloëtjes but I think against good blocking teams this duo together with Balkestein would be clueless in attack. Daalderop hits really well but a bit on a low point which makes me think she won't be as good against a team like Serbia. Sloëtjes gets blocked pretty easy too. I think it's great that Netherlands has now this great variety in Opp and OH as they can use different key players against different style teams. Bulgaria's block was weak to non existent today. Daalderop would just hit straight at the block with as much power as she can and it kept working.

  • I think it's pretty early still to say bye Buijs and Plak because Daalderop and Sloëtjes are better. While I do agree with you from what I have seen so far. Daalderop has been playing amazing today and so did Sloëtjes but I think against good blocking teams this duo together with Balkestein would be clueless in attack. Daalderop hits really well but a bit on a low point which makes me think she won't be as good against a team like Serbia. Sloëtjes gets blocked pretty easy too. I think it's great that Netherlands has now this great variety in Opp and OH as they can use different key players against different style teams. Bulgaria's block was weak to non existent today. Daalderop would just hit straight at the block with as much power as she can and it kept working.


    Well, it is just Femke's sets this tournament are mostly fast but low...Both Sloetjes and Daalderop can also hit over the block.


    The difference between Sloetjes and Daalderop < -- > Plak, (but escpecially Buijs) is that Sloetjes and Daalderop are much more versatile in attack. Buijs today hit again a few team blind in the block..Nika is smarter.


    Of course, Serbia is a total different level, they are the strongest team worldwide at the moment.

  • Well, it is just Femke's sets this tournament are mostly fast but low...Both Sloetjes and Daalderop can also hit over the block.


    The difference between Sloetjes and Daalderop < -- > Plak, (but escpecially Buijs) is that Sloetjes and Daalderop are much more versatile in attack. Buijs today hit again a few team blind in the block..Nika is smarter.


    Of course, Serbia is a total different level, they are the strongest team worldwide at the moment.


    Although Nika seems to be a great prospect, another offensive OH is the last thing NED needs nowadays considering Buijs and Plak. However, there is no single defensive OH as backup to Maret. NED could go down to the hill if she could get an injury during ECh :S Also libero position, although both Shoot and Knip seem to be improving, they are still far from the level of other liberos in top European teams

  • May I ask how did you insert such nice youtube link here since the board does not have a ready feature for that?


    I used [_youtube_]-insert-youtube-link-[_/_youtube_] (remove the underscores). I got this tip from someone else post in this very forum but can't remember where. If there is a problem try removing or don't add the "https://" just the link like "www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVh9TFIJkPs".