Turkey- VVSL-Vestel Venus Women's League 2017/2018

  • And to be completely fair Dobriana's reception wasn't what you call 'god-like' neither was Buse Kayacan. I think Gamze can adjust to high sets easily. I'm pretty sure about that. She is not just a fast setter that was just what she had to work with last season. Reception is still a trouble though, for me GS is hit or miss atm. They could either work out greatly if Kosheleva can attack and Rabadzhieva/Jack/Ruseva/Neslihan can contribute + defend. Or they could become a receiving mess. I guess we'll find out soon enough:D


    Well Gamze has been playing for Galatasaray for 6 years now.. it's not like we don't know what she can do.. even when Lo Bianco was there she was given some chances.. she always played better with fast sets, Saori, Dobriana, Leys, Centoni.. and she had players who wanted high balls like Calderon and Montano... however I wasn't dissing Gamze, I think she's great. I just wanted to say I don't expect a much improved Kosheleva

  • I agree on most comments, I have exactly the same concerns about GS this season.


    As USAvolleyball mentioned, this team is pretty similar to the team with Saori-Rabadzhieva as OHs and Montano as OPP. Montano liked high sets too and she had an incredible playoffs with Gamze as setter until she got injured.


    However I prefer that GS does not change their system as long as the receiving is there. Instead, Kosheleva should remember that there is no stop to learning as a player and she should try something new: attacking to fast sets! I don't mean that Gamze should give her Guldeniz sets, what I hope is, Gamze keeps setting tempo sets but half a meter higher for Kosheleva, I'm sure she can kill those sets as efficient if she learns to. She sure is a big risk to take and I would prefer a more balanced OH, like Rabadzhieva-Gözde Kirdar duo.


    I personally think that Neslihan will shine this season again, not only because she is good friends with Guneyligil family and owe them something but because she is already capable of hitting/fixing badly placed, fast sets to zone 2. I'm sure she will have lots of single blocks and pass them easily.


    I agree on Beri about receiving though! I'm still worried about Buse Kayacan as libero but then I remembered that poor girls had to receive with Jerkov-Kulan duo entire season, sometimes with Jerkov-Ceren Kestirengöz duo. If she managed to receive with these 2, then I guess she will do fine. Remember also that GS has Cansu Cetin as an alternative, in case receiving line fails!

  • taking a close look inside Fenerbahçe


    setters : we know Tomkom's quality and what she did for Fb in finals.i wonder how Çağla Akın will perform with the team when she is given a chance ? this will be very important for the Coach to benefit from all the roster


    OHs and passing : Natalia,Mia,Damla,Ezgi..i havent watched Damla and Ezgi for a long time.i dont know how much they can contribute.once Ezgi was a promising OH but she couldnt improve her game etc.Damla was turkish C.Bosetti..she has had some injuries and i think she was playing in the second division .it wont be easy for her to play at this high level VVSL after her second division experience
    so my first impression : local OHs of FB looked weak to me.
    what about Natalia-Mia-Melis/Merve trio's passing : seems with this trio Fb will have passing problems.I dont think Mia is a good enough in passing.Natalia is ok.Melis and Merve should pass very well.


    Opps : Polina is a monster.Polen is enough as second OPP (not as first)


    MBs : Toksoy should get ready as soon as possible to play



    Tomkom-Polina
    Natalia-Mia
    Eda-Dicle
    Melis/Merve
    this squad is offensively a good team but passing is question mark

  • I think Jerkov was a strange transfer. With Natalia already there I can't imagine Jerkov will get much time to play. I agree with you Canter that what they need is stable passing, so why sign Jerkov?

  • I think Jerkov was a strange transfer. With Natalia already there I can't imagine Jerkov will get much time to play. I agree with you Canter that what they need is stable passing, so why sign Jerkov?


    Jerkov is a passionate player and has been the leading player of her former team/teams but this could be the same for Fener,we'll see!
    Polina will be main weapon then Natalia-Mia and Eda

  • Yes, I mean I know she is a good player, but with Tomkom, Rahimova and Natalia I think she is surely the least important foreigner on this team. Maybe she will be great and prove me wrong but I just think this was a strange transfer

  • They have to use one of the local OHs or Polen or Cagla unfortunately. With Mia-Natalia, Tomkom-Polina, they have 4 foreigners and only 3 are allowed in the TL. It will be interesting to see how Jan's choices will look like but it seems that he doesnt like to risk setters and goes with experienced options, so I guess he will pick Tomkom. I bet he will use his foreign player choices as Tomkom-Polina and Natalia.

  • Yes, I mean I know she is a good player, but with Tomkom, Rahimova and Natalia I think she is surely the least important foreigner on this team. Maybe she will be great and prove me wrong but I just think this was a strange transfer


    i get what you mean..that is what i felt when i learned fener transferred her..

  • They have to use one of the local OHs or Polen or Cagla unfortunately. With Mia-Natalia, Tomkom-Polina, they have 4 foreigners and only 3 are allowed in the TL. It will be interesting to see how Jan's choices will look like but it seems that he doesnt like to risk setters and goes with experienced options, so I guess he will pick Tomkom. I bet he will use his foreign player choices as Tomkom-Polina and Natalia.


    thanks for reminding me of the rule..
    my squad consists of 4 foreigners :D


    i think Polina and Natalia should be on the court for important matches.Tomkom too
    One of Ezgi or Damla could replace Mia


    Brandt could use Tomkom-Polen ..Çağla-Polina double subt...as well..this means Mia would be on the court

  • FB needs an OH who could play as "second libero" but neither Damla's nor Ezgi's reception is solid. Although they are short players, it doesn't mean that they are solid receivers. Mia's reception is not as good Kim's, so it will be a big liability against good server teams to keep both on court. I think Mia will only play instead of Natalia when she has a bad day.


    I'm also curious to see Tomkom-Rahimova combination. Tomkom is one of the most creative setters while Rahimova is such a dull attacker relying on boring high balls. It will be an interesting mix to watch

  • Fenerbahce shouldve kept Meliha, she played well last WGP. Meliha will prolly stay on the bench in Ecza. Hande-Guldeniz-Larson are their main outside. Gozde Yilmaz should play for other teams where she can be a starter. She used to be promising.

  • I also don't know why fener gave Meliha to Ecz. In Vitra she will bench prolly about 90% of the times while this season she played really good in WGP and she really could contribute a lot to the team (surely more then Damla/Ezgi anyway) I think Fener made a mistake, also I don"t like Tomkom for this team. She is an amazing setter indeed but just not for this team. I can't think of a single player she would have good chemistry with in this Fener.

  • I guess there will be no new American players coming to Turkey in the near term. Maybe Kim HIll's decision to leave for Italy seems not so self serving now. If US Turkey relations continue to deteriorate the American volleyball players will be large visible targets for retaliation.


    From the Bloomburg News: The U.S. and Turkey each suspended visa services for citizens looking to visit the other country, a sharp escalation of a diplomatic spat that sent the lira down more than 6 percent against the U.S. dollar.


    The moves followed the Oct. 4 arrest of a Turkish national who works at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul for alleged involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hours after the Trump administration halted visa services in Turkey on Sunday, Erdogan’s government responded in kind, even repeating verbatim much of the U.S. statement.


    Link to the complete article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news…es-in-turkey-after-arrest

  • thats real mystery indeed! :white:
    i dont know how American players playing in Turkey situation will look like after visa services have mutually been suspended


    i hope we can continue to watch them here in Istanbul

  • I don't agree that Meliha will be benched in Eczacibasi. She actually spent a whole year in Fener's bench last season and now she has better chances knowing that Hande had a bad summer despite her MVP award in U23. Larson became a burden, not only in attacking but also in receiving last season. So considering the foreign player limitations, I would suggest that Eczacibasi better picks Ognjenovic-Boskovic+Adams as 3 foreigners with Larson in bench, meaning Hande-Guldeniz duo can be starters. Since we know how Hande attacks these days and Larson herself is not the best attacking sub, the only option is Meliha. I'm sure she will cut Hande from starting 6 and spend lots of time on court.


    usantvolleyball, I was a bit worried about that too but then I noticed that despite having enemies for the last century with Russia, American players did indeed go there and play. I also talked to a Russian friend yesterday and he reminded me that US did the same with Russia which lasted for only a week :wall:

  • i agree too that Fener made a mistake by letting Meliha go for Vitra considering their local OHs are Damla and Ezgi. Brandt is a good coach.he sure knows how to form a good team with these players

  • I don"t like Tomkom for this team. She is an amazing setter indeed but just not for this team. I can't think of a single player she would have good chemistry with in this Fener.

    Her connection with Eda looked pretty good most of last season. I think Nootsara is a great setter and will be able to adapt to different types of attacker, even the boring but very effective Rahimova.


    Larson became a burden, not only in attacking but also in receiving last season. So considering the foreign player limitations, I would suggest that Eczacibasi better picks Ognjenovic-Boskovic+Adams as 3 foreigners with Larson in bench, meaning Hande-Guldeniz duo can be starters.

    This is how I feel as well. Last season Larson was mostly useless, with only a few good matches so I think using her mainly as a back row sub could be a good idea. This also means Busra can be left out because I don't think she is really a good enough level for ECZ.


    Of course maybe Motta can help Larson get back to her previous level which would make her a key player for this team.

  • I agree on Sisko about Busra, especially when you consider how good a hitter Adams is from zone 3 and Busra not being a solid slider...I think they will use Adams-Beyza duo, Busra might come in as serve sub for Adams though, she has a good serve.

  • I also agree that foreigners should be Ognjenovic-Boskovic and Adams. Larson should be used only in CL if necessary. Eczacibasi suffered a lot last season due to too many changes among foreigners. This season most important thing for Motta is to decide a solid starting 6 and stick to it. Guldeniz as starter OH with Hande&Meliha depending their shape is best possible combination :whistle: