2016 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix

    Clinched Spots for the Grand Prix Final
    China, USA and Russia


    How they can clinch a position
    4. Brazil 5 wins, 16 points, need 1 win (any number of sets), 2 pts (2 5-set losses) or Japan loss
    5. Netherlands 4 wins, 12 points, need 2 wins or 1 win and 1 loss each by Japan, Turkey, Serbia and Italy
    6. Japan 3 wins, 11 points, need 2 wins (preferably 3 or 4 sets) with a Netherlands loss
    7. Turkey 3 wins, 9 points, need 2 wins with 2 Netherlands losses, 1 loss each by Japan and Serbia
    8. Serbia 3 wins, 7 points, need 2 wins with 2 Netherlands losses (1 can be in 5 sets, but not 2 5 sets losses), 1 loss each by Japan and Turkey
    9. Italy 2 wins, 7 points, need 2 wins, with 2 Netherlands losses (1 can be in 5 sets, but not 2 5 sets losses), , 2 Turkey losses, and 2 Serbia or Japan losses

    i think the netherlands will lose to china today because china has shown no sign of taking it easy whatsoever.
    and serbia will win out the remaining matches as long as they maintain the level of play since the brazil match.
    serbia in the final.
    turkey's disappointing. i thought playing before home crowd, they'd recall their best players and try to win the pool.

    Quote from pappi


    we have no idea if Russia has tried to pretend to be weaker in the second part of the game.
    they are possibly meeitng at 1/4 quarter final in Rio.
    but what i saw that Goncharova was still unstoptable if she was confident to get that point.

    i don't think russia intentionally played badly. if they wanted to do that, why not just bench all the starters.
    both teams played a bit relaxed if you wish, because the match was not that important.
    but i'm sure they played to win. in the end, serbia just played a little bit better.
    goncha is very good. but i think boskovic can match her output. if koshe can raise her game to match mihajlovic's, these two teams are very evenly matched.

    Quote from lche059

    i think the netherlands will lose to china today because china has shown no sign of taking it easy whatsoever.
    and serbia will win out the remaining matches as long as they maintain the level of play since the brazil match.
    serbia in the final.
    turkey's disappointing. i thought playing before home crowd, they'd recall their best players and try to win the pool.


    My very guess today CHN will field starter line-up mainly like this against GER: with Shen Jing-si as the setter, Chen Zhan as the libero, Liu Xiao-tong, Zeng Chun-lei, Hui Ruo-qi, Xu Yun-li... with Gong Xiang-yu as the sub. This will provide a more interesting match and opportunity to drill some of the bench players. No much for them to pursue in the WGP from now on but just drilling, certain line-up testing and playing exposure and so on. Like other top medal contenders Rio OG is just everything.


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

    Quote from samsara


    My very guess today CHN will field starter line-up mainly like this against GER: with Shen Jing-si as the setter, Chen Zhan as the libero, Liu Xiao-tong, Zeng Chun-lei, Hui Ruo-qi, Xu Yun-li... with Gong Xiang-yu as the sub. This will provide a more interesting match and opportunity to drill some of the bench players. No much for them to pursue in the WGP from now on but just drilling, certain line-up testing and playing exposure and so on. Like other top medal contenders Rio OG is just everything.


    However they chose their starting six: German butterflies will be easy prey for them, because German NT generally doesn't like the way Chinese NTs are playing at all, safe for the superiority of China in general in this WGP: group 1 leader against obvious group 1 loser. So it's obviously a good opportunity for China to give different players court time.

    Marichev should have tried Malykh in this match, who has not been given a lot of chances. Goncharova will be tired against the Japan match tomorrow.

    Now they are finished - after the expected clear defeat against China they go down into group 2, a first ever failure too, by the way - and literally announced before.


    It was not the fault of the players,because they did, what they could, but in vain. Problems are deep inside education, first league in Germany, conditions for players and so on. Of course lack of money is one of the key reasons. So national players in Germany get no single Euro for playing there. Essentially they get income only from the clubs they play for also in this time.


    The question is now, if the DVV (German volleyball federation) can get money to afford group 2 WGP participation next year? And if yes, can they motivate some experienced players to help to return to group 1? Because they will face Poland and Croatia there for example, it's no way easy to get back therefore.


    Can they keep international competative level without playing WGP group 1 anyway? I fear, this can have really devastating consequences. By the way, men's national team of DVV has currently similar problems.


    Remember, in the years 2011 and 2013 the team was vice European champion. But afterwards it got a little worse every year...


    I could already calculate, that they will drop in world ranking after Olympics in Rio from now rank 11 to 15.


    One final remark: that defeat at least probhibits, that the Netherlands, coached by former German federal coach Giovanni Guidetti, has to throw them out tomorrow, because the fact is already set. Netherlands require another victory to ensure their final six participation, so it will be no fun for German butterflies again.

    Thaisa is annoyed as hell, she basically can't smash ball in :obey:

    If the WGP-level is an indication for OG, Brazil will be without a chance for Gold...I haven't seen them so weak since a long time...USA, China and Russia (Serbia) will be the candidates.

    Quote from serdar

    These two ridiculous setters are poisoning whole team. Also Kubra is in a horrible shape, I am sure Guidetti will soon start looking for a foreign MB instead of her for CL :down:


    Belgium already showed that they deserved to say in Division-1. I am quite happy about that since they always put a good fight against any team and even makes surprises once in a while. Belgium has huge potential but they always lack a good OH next to Leys, however if one of Celine Van Gestel or Britt Herbots would develop as a stable player, Belgium could stay on this competitive level for many years!

    I totally agree. Nursevil is too inconsistent and I don't know how Ezgi should continue her career because she definitely is not a setter for this level. However, it is unfair to blame them for what is happening now. I understand that Naz can be injured or she might refuse to play with such an inexperienced group, but why the hell did Ferhat pick up two setters that did not play more than 5 matches in starting six last season? I honestly don't remember a single match where Nursevil started in starting six in GS except the match she played as OPP. Ferhat should have left his personal issues aside and picked Gamze instead and Arelya who were on court during the entire season with their clubs.


    For Kubra, it is obvious why Guidetti transferred Özgenur. He will most likely bench Kubra in the local league. What I don't understand is, why are we exposed to her in the NT non-stop? It was only one match I saw Asli-Özgenur duo playing and Turkey won if I remember correct.