I'm torn on two sides.. On the one hand I think this has been a relatively good Grand Prix for the USA since there are a lot of new faces, they try to get used to this new system, their setter is now a starter, etc.. On the other hand this really is not a B/C team.. They indeed miss their starting MBs and OHs, and their libero retired, but Dixon and Gibby are not that much worse than Akinradewo/Adams.. In favt both Dixon and Gibby have had a lot of playing time in the past, especially Dixon who before her injury was surely making the roster for the Olympics.. Bartsch has also played with the previous team, and also spent so quality years with her clubs.. Carli is pretty experienced too.. So if Brazil can so it, I don't see why USA can't
Well I'm not trying to say that USA should lose all matches becasue they are missing, I just think this lineup is fresh and haven't played much with one another. OK, Gibbemayer and Tetori are good players and experienced but they are 'just' MBs. I think 2 OHs, libero and reliable OPP are much more important overall and it's harder if you replace them for the team to find a new way of playing. It's easier to swap MBs. Lloyd is also not the first choice since ages as they had Glass, Kreklow and so on.
Let's just take out 2 OHs and libero of Serbia, Brazil or whatever team and see what happens, they would be MUCH worse. What actually already happened to Germany, Poland, Netherlands before 2015, also a lot to Italy. Just without Werblinska, Glinka, Grun, Kozuch, Flier or Piccinini they can't live up to expectations.
I would say USA results this year show the positive things- that they have good and long bench and many replacements for starting six rather than collapse or sth. All in all it's just a Grand Prix. And Kingdon/Courtney/Bartsch are USA 5th/6th and 7th OH...