Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2017/2018


  • Interesting, because it was at least a small surprise, that even with home advantage Dresden could stun Schwerin twice in a row, because Schwerin is IMHO definitely the stronger team (generally).


    Indeed, one could have won much money betting on this final Dresden vs. Wiesbaden :lol: .


    Regarding Stuttgart: they definitely didn't deserve to win today, despite we tried to help a lot, they were unable to perform normally - as Matthias wrote, way to many mistakes similar as Schwerin in Wiesbaden some days ago, but everybody knew about this challenge, so this is no excuse. Wiesbaden is receiving and serving strongly for many years now, so this was no surprise, and Stuttgart could after the first set never reestablish its superiority on the indivdual level, because they found never a well working setup today.


    From the point of view as a Stuttgart fan: this is only a little sad, what we should really care for is the championship this year, because we were three times in a row "only" second, and never won so far, while they won the first supercup (of so far two) and three DVV cups until now. They should now get their priorities straight, which is easier as when playing in Mannheim. And for the first time the roster of Stuttgart is both regarding individually and in its width and potential good enough, to endure the late phases of the championship even with one bigger injury. This was intentionally made by the management having more money available and a number of years ago Dresden could similary dethrone Dresden going exactly the same path.


    Despite Dresden is favourite against Wiesbaden in Mannheim cup finals, I will wish Wiesbaden the best, they never won any title so far - and Dresden is saturated also with cup wins already :P .

  • I have been watching Postdam because of Cikiriz, and I did not realize until last night when I was checking the rosters that Schwerin has a Serbian OH, Jelena Oluic. So did watch this game today not knowing if she would be starting or not, I was happy not only to see her playing but to see how well she played, she`s better than Cikiriz, and I like Dresden SRB MB Ivana Mrdak.


    But where`s Geerties? Did she get injured that`s why Oluic got to start tonight? Well I hope Oluic gets to play every game.

  • But where`s Geerties? Did she get injured that`s why Oluic got to start tonight? Well I hope Oluic gets to play every game.

    I explained it above, she's sick.
    And I agree about Oluic being better than Cikiriz. Much better in fact :whistle: And Mrdak is a very unlucky girl, in Serbia there's at least half a dozen MBs better than her so she probably never will get the chance to play in NT even though she's really good :S


    All 4 teams passing! :white:


    These Mikasa balls should be forbidden: they're turning volleyball into a sport where it matters just the service. :read:

    Well not really :S There are players who can receive well also with Mikasa, and I think most of the players of those 4 teams would also pass bad with Molten balls. And I think that German scouts are very strict with what they consider a "perfect" pass, so I think looking at the "positive" numbers is more helpful.

  • Well not really :S There are players who can receive well also with Mikasa, and I think most of the players of those 4 teams would also pass bad with Molten balls. And I think that German scouts are very strict with what they consider a "perfect" pass, so I think looking at the "positive" numbers is more helpful.


    I hope so, but those numbers still are tragic. :white:

  • TV Sport1 user numbers for cup semi Dresden vs. Schwerin yesterday:


    110.000 at average, hall was sold out with 3.000. Attention: there was in parallel a free TV public station German soccer cup match.


    Therefore it is not clear, if the fact, that the following two matches were the best so far regarding this, is truely comparable, anyway, all three took place in the big Margon hall of Dresden (3.000 seats) and ended in tie-break, and the league matches had more tension (guest match balls in fourth and generally better level):


    1. Dresden vs. Stuttgart (early November) 160.000 average, 290.000 peak
    2. Dresden vs. Schwerin (two weaks ago, league match): 150.000 average


    Anyway TV station Sport1 wrote, the numbers are better than expected, so they will stick to it, I think. The only question is, if they continue with the men's league too, because their matches have systematically lower numbers, a phenomenon known from other countries and also valid for international airings often.


    It should help to get more sponsoring support of course, but this outcome will be seen only next season (if at all, maybe it takes longer).

  • Keeping in mind, that Schwerin yesterday had some injury trouble with important players (no Geerties, Lippmann not fully fit at the end), the statistics tell some interesting details about the match, I think:


    Schwerin made overall more points than Dresden (104 vs. 100), was clearly better in service (12 aces - 10 faults = +2 directly, Dresden 6 aces - 14 faults = -8 directly), but Dresden lead regarding attack efficiency (46 vs. 41%), due to opposite Korhonen and the both middles. So the last component once more decided a match, it seems. - Of course the home advantage is always big in Dresden.

  • You're in Schwerin on 26? Well, we drink a beer or a coke :-)


    Okay, I'm now preparing the travelling to the most remote location in the league, Schwerin, from Stuttgart. You can recognize me most easily wearing a red MTV Stuttgart on the road fan shirt with No.5 McCage :) .

  • Shortly before I depart to Schwerin (I will not post anything before Thursday evening therefore):


    there was a podcast by block & spike with Allianz MTV Stuttgart manager Aurel Irion, who clarified, that he was (intentionally) cited wrong in the referred Stuttgarter newspaper by a general sports (not volleyball expert) writer therein. He just stated the evident truth, that Potsdam was weaker and had less spectators when Stuttgart was on the road there in MBS hall as last season, when Stuttgart suffered a defeat at the same location. He regretted the meltdown (financially) of Köpenick, which vanished from the Bundesliga therefore and the lack of second league teams wanting a first league license, while generally hailing the master plan of the VBL, he was pronouncing that some clubs couldn't respective can't cope with its demands. And he also stated, that Münster is now better, and Wiesbaden stays well, while others may have weakened (not even a general statement about Potsdam or Vilsbiburg, which would be nothing to worry about).


    If somebody still worries about that infamous article: it is nothing new, that mainstream media sometimes intentionally twist/filter statements by interview partners in a commercial way, i.e. loud rumors and strong statements are better to sell (at the end newspapers want to earn money) for them, at least they often think so, but nowadays in the internet era it is much easier to prove their wongdoings in such cases.

  • In 2nd set Stuttgart was the better team until 2nd TTO and all of a sudden Schwerin started to play much better and found Stuttgart's weakness in defense (called Stoltenborg), so they went from 14:16 to 25:19.
    I hope to see more than 3 sets though, the level of the match is really good still by both teams!

  • Schwerin - Stuttgart 3:0 (35:33 25:19 27:25)
    http://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2017-18/Women/2044.pdf
    MVP: Jennifer Geerties / Deborah van Daelen


    So only 3 sets eventually even though Stuttgart came back from 17:21 and defended 2 match points in 3rd set. Debbie van Daelen who played a very good match overall with two crucial mistakes in the end and earlier Molly McCage and Mlejnkova also had some unforced errors, but IMO looking at the whole match Stoltenborg was the negative difference between the two teams. Stuttgart was clearly better in blocking, but once Schwerin figured out where to tip the ball they put Stuttgart and most of all Stoltenborg into some rather awkward situations, especially Geerties who started rather slow into the match.

  • VC Wiesbaden parts ways with American MB Jennifer Keddy. She wants to recover from her shoulder injury at home. The club will present a new transfer soon.


    How was She doing before the injury? She was quite good in the previous seasons.

  • Link to Vilsbiburg - Potsdam? I might have placed my first sports bet ever on Potsdam no worries it is not anything big, actually I did it more so I can watch other leagues match and stay excited throughout and just wanted to try gambling for once :lol: