Russia - Superliga 2011/2012

    Dinamo wins 1st set 25:23.
    Every time I watch Uralochka I can't understand how they are so successful this season. There is absolutely nothing special in their game and it is 100% predictable. Every good reception becomes a set to MB (I think Maryukhnich did over 10 attacks in 1st set!), every bad reception goes to position 4 or backrow. Uralochka had some good serves and blocks but I can see no way how Dinamo could lose this match unless their own performance goes down significantly.

    Uralochka takes 3rd set 25:23...Dinamo relaxed a bit after easy 2nd set and allowed Uralochka back in the match.


    I don't understand why Uralochka transfered Kirillova, setter is the least important player in their current system. All she has to do is give precise balls to attackers, tactics define exactly which ball must be played in which situation and Salina could do that too...

    Omichka - Dinamo Kazan 1x3 (21:25, 25:22, 23:25, 14:25)


    Dinamo Kazan wins series 2x0, and will play in the final vs. Dinamo Moscow.


    In the 3x1 win for Moscow yesterday, Natasha Goncharova once again was unstoppable and scored 30 points in 4sets, the same amount as in the first game vs. Uralochka.


    The final will be held 8-9 april, 12 april, and, if necessary, 13 and 15 april.


    which team will win in your opinion??

    Quote from Diesse14


    which team will win in your opinion??


    I belive Kazan should be favourites, they won both games over Moscow in the league and have been more solid overall, with more variation in attack and better struction in defense. Moscow won the cupfinal though. When they won that match Yaneva and Grun played good, esp. Yaneva if I remember right, and helped Goncharova very much and their game wasnt so predictible. I think it all matters on if they can play good again, then I belive Moscow has a good chance, cause Goncharova will certinly not win over Kazan alone in attack. Also, even if Kazan was very steady in the league, now Gamova isnt in best shape she said, since Kazan have played very much lately, that also increase the chances for Moscow obviously.

    Quote from Anton1989

    I belive Kazan should be favourites, they won both games over Moscow in the league and have been more solid overall, with more variation in attack and better struction in defense. Moscow won the cupfinal though. When they won that match Yaneva and Grun played good, esp. Yaneva if I remember right, and helped Goncharova very much and their game wasnt so predictible. I think it all matters on if they can play good again, then I belive Moscow has a good chance, cause Goncharova will certinly not win over Kazan alone in attack. Also, even if Kazan was very steady in the league, now Gamova isnt in best shape she said, since Kazan have played very much lately, that also increase the chances for Moscow obviously.


    thank you very much!!

    Quote from Canter

    @Anton
    why cant Goncharova be unstoppable as playing in CL with the club teams or in ECH ,WCH with Russian Nt,while she is unstoppable in Russian league?


    Goncharova was the most effective spiker in Champions League this season with 48% effectivity and with a average of 19p/game, and 5.1p/set. It was only three players with better average and it was Kim, Rahimova, Neslihan, and she was more effective than them.


    And about Russian NT, first of all she have not been playing so bad. She was second best spiker and third best scorer in World Grand Prix- finals last year for ex.


    http://www.fivb.org/en/volleyb…p?Tourn=WGP2011&Skill=SCO
    http://www.fivb.org/en/volleyb…p?Tourn=WGP2011&Skill=SPK


    But, its true she have not been as good in NT as in club in general but last year Russia underperformed as a team. Merkulova said it was cracks in the team last year, which also might have effected both the Russia NT and also Goncharova´s performance, but still, she wasnt bad at all.


    Also I think nobady is at their best from the beginning in NT, with more experience, hopefully she can play at her best even there.

    I think Russian NT simply doesn't need her to perform like in club. In NT she usually has two of Gamova, Sokolova, Kosheleva beside her, in club only Grün and Yaneva/Makarova, so it's logical that she simply has to score more points than in NT. If she played instead of Gamova in NT she would probably put up similar numbers as in club.


    I know Anton she is a favorite of yours but let's be honest here - she played horrible at last year's Europeans. Her bad form was one of the main reasons for to Russia to have such bad result. She maybe had good stats at this year's CL overall but in the most importatnt games she clearly underperformed. She's playing for NT for 3 years - quite a lot of expirience in my view. She clearly struggles when the game is really important and if she won't get through that problem she'll never be a real star.

    Quote from semisonic

    I know Anton she is a favorite of yours but let's be honest here - she played horrible at last year's Europeans. Her bad form was one of the main reasons for to Russia to have such bad result. She maybe had good stats at this year's CL overall but in the most importatnt games she clearly underperformed. She's playing for NT for 3 years - quite a lot of expirience in my view. She clearly struggles when the game is really important and if she won't get through that problem she'll never be a real star.


    You´re right, she have been underperforming in some big matches so far, but she has also been very good in some important matches too. For ex. superleague finals 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 she was very good. In CL last year they lost to Pesaro, but Natalia was the best player for Dinamo in both games. She was bad against Cortese at home, the crucial match, but was good in the away game though. She played OK in group stage in ECH, but horrible against Turkey in the crucial one, yes its worrying, all I can say is that I hope it gets better cause it was her first major championship for NT in her carrer, as a starting player. And yes, she have too do it better in these kind of games if she wants to be a real star, Í agree with that!