Brazil's National Team

    Joanna, I see what you mean but I have a different point of view on this matter. If there's not enough preparation time, it is wiser to spend it the best way possible. The smaller the number of players, the bigger the attention they will receive from the coach and his assistents and therefore, the better their preparation. The Olympic Games are already a strong motivation, I don't think any player in the world need extra motivation in order to be prepared for such an event. I strongly believe the players will be more focused working in a small group.

    Quote from Celso

    When it comes to the number of players called, the explanation for that is simple. There won't be enough time for testing. Zé Roberto did that for the last 3 years and now he's focusing on the team's preparation. He'll be able to work on each player's flaws more intensely and I think this is the wisest thing to do.


    As regards the team's performance in 2005, I think your critics are groundless, I don't see any point in underestimating what Carol and Marcelle did for the team. If the other teams were not complete, neither was Brazil. In 2005 we played the WGP without Walewska, Fabiana and Mari, not to mention Fofão, and we lost Paula for the World Grand Champions Cup because of her pregnancy. If the other teams didn't have their full power, neither had Brazil. Brazil's team and Carol's achievements in 2005 were important and should not be underestimated.


    Just for the sake of curiosity, in the match against Netherlands in the World CHampionship, Brazil won the first set. How come would Brazil lose this match by 3-0?

    I'm not underestimating Carol and Marcelle's performances, they did good that year, BUT I think they wouldn't be useful if they had more important games to play. Honestly, my reasons were groundless??? What was WGC '05?? With teams like Korea and Poland... What was GP '05 without Russia, Brazil lost to China and only got 1st place because Italy lost to Netherlands. Also, I think it's not good to mention Fabiana's and Mari's absenses because Gattaz did great in Fabiana's place (even if I don't like her, I must admit she did very well that year), and Mari would be on the bench anyway. C'mon, Brazil wasn't that good in 2005, and I think that you are overestimating them. Sorry for the lapse, but we are talking about the same game against Netherlands. Anyway my point was that Brazil would lose easily, and it WOULD if Fofão didn't enter the court.
    We both can have different opinions, you don't have to be so hard on mine...


    And by taking 19 or 20 players to practise I didn't mean that you should give the 20 a chance of playing, but at least it helps them improve their game, just like Joana said.

    I think 2005 was a terible year for Brasil in fact....cause created the ilusion for some people, including for Zé Roberto, that everything was good...and that Brasil had the best team of volleyball...while in 2006 and 2007 we saw is not quite like that....

    You base your opinions about Carol on what you think she may not be able to do. I base mine in what she did so far for the NT.


    I don't overestimate what happened in 2005, cause the only matches that Brazil did something that surprised me for good were against Cuba (it was the Cuban complete team in the WGP) and China (both in Montreux Volley Masters and in the Grand Champions Cup). And I also don't overestimate what happened in 2007, cause Carol was not the one to blame in the key losses against Cuba (in the final match of the Pan-American Games) and Russia in the WGP. I won't even mention the matches against Italy and the US Team cause she was not playing that tournament.


    I acknowledge Carol's technique should improve, but she's a very competitive player and her ball distrubution, serves and defenses are important for the team. The coach dd the right thing in calling her and she definitely merits to be in this roster. That's my opinion.

    i loved what Ze Roberto did.....he explained everything that he did.....he didn´t called more players because the team doesn´t have enough time to practise before the matches against the USA and in the GP.....and i liked that he didn´t call Fernanda, she is one of the best players of the world but she haven´t played for such a long time and now in the olimpic year she wants to return to the Brazilian selection......i couldn´t believe when she did it......

    Why no Fernandinha? She is quite a good setter and she showed that this year in Santeramo.

    Fernandinha is daring, skilled and serves well. Anyway, she was given a chance in 2005 and didn't grab it. She was invited to train with the Brazilian team in 2005 and it seems her performance didn't impress the coach, cause he never called her again. (The same thing happened to Dani Lins beforehand).


    As I said before, I think Carol is a really good option for the team. She serves well, she digs well, she's much taller than Fernandinha and she's more experienced as well.


    From 2009 on, it seems the setters of Brazil will be Dani Lins and Ana Tiemi, which is a wise choice. Right now Carol and Fofão are the best option with no shadow of doubt.

    I also think that Fernandinha should deserve a second chance...after all...this season playing in Italy made her grown very much.....I saw live the matche of Bergamo x Santeramo....and although I was supporting Bergamo of course...hehe...she did a incredible job....and my italian friend told me that has been like that all season...
    So I think Zé should had called her indeed....

    Quote from joanamss

    I also think that Fernandinha should deserve a second chance...after all...this season playing in Italy made her grown very much.....I saw live the matche of Bergamo x Santeramo....and although I was supporting Bergamo of course...hehe...she did a incredible job....and my italian friend told me that has been like that all season...
    So I think Zé should had called her indeed....

    I think Fernandinha did a great season -- and I think she deserves a second chance, even on an olympic year... BUT I don't think she'd have time enough to be prepared to go to OG instead of Carolina.
    I said I didn't like Carolina's choice, but among the options, she was the one with less cons... If there was an option, "no setter" I'd certainly choose this one. But I agree with Celso, Carolina is the better option (in a team with no options)...


    (Celso: Brazil lost games in 2007, because there are teams that are just as good or better. And I think that the fact that Brazil won everything in 2005 gave an impression that the team was the best... which is untrue. Brazil is not awful, but not the best... that's my point of view, and that's why I say I think you overestimate the team performance, because it has not improved a lot as a team, and even if I sourced Carolina - or Marcelle - as a problem, I could repeat the same for the half of the team -- there are some who are not good enough to play important competitions against complete teams. I only said about the setters because that was the subject. That's my opinion.)

    I disagree, Lothie, cause in 2005, there were teams as good as Brazil or even better, like China and Cuba, in 2006, the same happened. I insist I don't overestimate the team's performance in 2005, you seem to overestimate the team's defeats in 2007.


    It is normal to lose, especially against strong teams like Cuba, Russia, Netherlands, Italy, China and the US Team. All these teams deserved to win in 2007, cause they played better. I don't deny that. That doesn't make Brazil's team weaker than it was in 2005 nor the other teams stronger than they were in 2005. I don't expect less from the Italian Team than they showed in 2007, I don't expect less from the Russian Team than they showed in 2006, I don't expect less from any other teams than they showed when they were at the top of their forms and I think all the Brazil's players who will be in the OG have chances of playing well against any of these teams.


    In the 90's Cuba was by far the best team in the world, there's no such thing anymore. All the teams are leveled and having been aware of that since 2001 prevents me from overestimating anything that happened with Brazil's team. Besides, the way Brazil's team evolved has nothing to do with overestimating what happened in the past cause all strong teams have chances of beating their opponents, it depends on the story of each match. This happened in 2005, this happened in 2006, this happened in 2007 and this will happen in 2008. This has nothing to do with overestimating or underestimating any team's achievements.


    If you think I think something which I tell you I don't, then there's nothing else I can do. After all, I know my thoughts better than you. You might have overestimated Brazil's teams achievements in 2005 and you might have thought I did the same, but that's not the case, cause so far, whenever Brazil's team had the chance of winning something that mattered, they failed. For me, what matters are the WCH and the OG. In 2005 any of these competitions were played, so, there was no way for me to be impressed by Brazil's Team performance in that year.

    Hum...


    I don't think that Cuba was playing as good as they can in 2005...well...maybe China was playing well...but we can't say actually how they are now...cause they are just not playing the important championships....


    I think the best competition for Brasil at the last years was the 2006 WC...and we didnt won...


    And I have no doubt that Italy, Russia, Netherland, USA...and any other teams you can name are playing much more now than 2005!!!!


    The thing is...all teams are growing to get the best at Olympic games...while Brasil just went down this last year...and the thing is not about the result....of course any one can loose to any of this teams in normal conditions...but is just that Brasil played really bad!!!!


    And I'm sure that if this teams (Italy, Russia, USA) played in 2005 as they are playing now..that the results wouldn't be the same for Brasil!


    Brazil has good chances of beating all them...but I think we have to start thinking that volleyball's world does not turn around only on the way we are playing...Brasil does not only loose when we play bad....as we not only win when we play well, you knwo....we can loose when the other team plays well...and win when the other plays bad...but some people like Zé just don't realize that!!!....the day Zé Roberto starts to mark a strategy over each team....cause it looks like he choose a way of work for the tournaments and just go with it till the end...and if don't work out..well..we just loose...can't be like that...that's why has a coach...if is not working in one game...he needs to be able to change his strategy to turn the game around...(like USA did against us at World Cup 2007...Lang Ping...just gave a lesson to Zé Roberto of how to coach a team!!!
    I think only then will be able to be a real Champion Team!

    To my mind, winning or losing depends on the story of each match cause the teams are leveled and this has been happening for the last 3 years (and this will continue to happen in the next couple of years.) All teams have ups and downs, as well as its players. This has to do with having enough preparation time, gaining confidence and also on having players at the top of their physical forms. I insist, all the teams are leveled and what will determine the result of a match are these factors. Confidence is very important too and for me this is what Brazil's team is lacking since the final match of the WCH.


    Joanna, I just don't get you... you say Brazil lost in 2007 cause they played badly, but you also say that sometimes the teams that play well lose and the teams that play bad win. By your logic, your explanation for Brazil's defeats last year are non-sense.

    I personally do not think that there is that big improvement or deterioration with the way Brazil plays since 2005. That for me is the problem. Brazil has been stagnant for the past 3 years. On the good side, I think Brazil has been playing consistently in terms of good blocking, reception, settings and fast attacks for the past years. On the bad side, the attackers remain ill-equipped with high sets/balls.


    The problem now with Brazil is that while it continues to be playing at the same level, all the other national teams have improved a lot and have been playing so well that they have already surpassed the skills and have identified the weaknesses of the Brazil team. If Brazil played in WGP05 and WGC05 the way it played recently in WGP07 and other competitions, it could still win such competitions. However, if other teams such as USA, Russia, Italy and China would play in WGP05 and WGC05 the way it played this year, Brazil would not win. Similarly, in the year 2006, Brazil won the WGP06 and when it played in WCH06, its level of playing was almost the same - almost same formation, tactics. Russia however has improved a lot and has developed new formations and strategies between WGP06 and WCH06 and Brazil was totally left unprepared and surprised, resulting to its loss.


    Take a look at the US National Team. With the entry of Lang Ping, there has been great changes that have happened. She has tried several options, players and tactics for the team while improving their usual way of playing. Their level of playing is not stagnant but has been on an uphill. Italy already has Aguero for the Olympics. Russia will be having Artamonova for the Olympics.


    I think the challenge for the coach now is to make a big improvement and change with the team. The coach must look for new options and alternatives. Otherwise, the team will have a hard time reaching the podiums. I am not saying that the Brazil Team is playing bad. My point is that it has been playing consistently good the past years, but other teams have been playing a lot better. The coach has to take the National Team on one step higher to level with other teams such as Italy, USA, China, Russia and Cuba.


    This is just my thought.

    Celso...I didn't say that at all...you didn't understand nothing I said... :lol:


    First...yeah...It hink Brazil didn't play as they could in 2007!!!


    Second...what I said is that...people here in Brasil always think that when Brasil lost the only reason of that is cause we played bad...and when we won is cause we played well....and I don't agree with that at all..people should consider that that is an other team on the other side that can be just playing better than you...and that's for me is what is happening to Brasil most of the time....(although I still think we played bad in 2007...I don't know if we had played all we can if we could won...cause like Russia2008 said...the other teams had improved a lot!!!)...So I hope you could understood this time!


    And Third...I agree with what Russia2008 had said...


    Other teams had been improved a lot...while Brasil is on the same level...(can see that just by the fact the Zé Roberto is now 6 years in front of the NT...and at any time he worked and invested on a any girl to substitute Fofão....)

    I like the Team...


    but...COME ON !


    Joycinha ??


    WTF ?? :what:


    I hope that the ghost of Athenas 2004 don´t come


    my heart can´t hold another 24 X19... ;(

    I agree with Russia2008 too... Brazil's team needs to cope with high-balls attacking.


    As regards the matches with other teams... let us analyze what happened in the matches betweeen Brazil and the other favourite teams to win the OG:


    1) Russia:


    The last two matches between Brazil and Russia finished 3-2 for the Russians. In both matches Brazil lost only in the tie-breaker by the minimum amount of points. In the first match, Paula was not at the top of her form and even so Brazil could have won. It were the details that decided this match. In the second match, Brazil's team didn't have Jaqueline, Fofão and Walewska and even so, Brazil just didn't won because of some mistakes made by the referee, who apologyzed for his mistakes at the end of this match. My point is... Brazil and Russia are leveled and details will decide who's the winner of the matches.


    2) Cuba:


    Brazil lost to Cuba in the Pan-American Games final match in 5 sets after missing 6 match points if I'm not mistaken. The loss was by 3-2 with the minimum difference of points in all the tie-breaker. Brazil's team didn't have enough time to prepare for this competition and in the short period of preparation, the team was practising with Jaqueline as the outside hitter. Brazil couldn't count on her and even so, they almost beat Cuba in the Pan-American Games. The match was decided by details. In the World Cup, when Brazil met Cuba again, Brazil won the match again by 3-2. That also proves Brazil and Cuba are leveled and both teams can win. The winner of this match will be decided in the details


    3) China:


    Brazil with half of its A team lost to China in straight sets to the China's B team. The Chinese team is by far the team who has been causing more troubles to Brazil in the last 3 years. And I personally think China is one step ahead of Brazil.


    4) USA:


    The last match between Brazil and the US Team was decided in the tie-breaker and the Brazilian Team seems to have suffered a black-out from the third set on. Brazil's team was leading 2-0 and then the US team came back and won the match in the tie-breaker. Brazil played very well in the first two sets, but when Lang Ping decided to make changes in the American Team, Brazil wasn't able to outplay the US team and eventually lost. Even so, Brazil could have beaten the US Team, but Lang Ping was more competent and intelligent than the Zé Roberto and Brazil lost the match. Even so, the teams are leveled and details will decide which team willl win the possible clash between Brazil and the US.


    5) Italy:


    After Aguero's arrival, Brazil was able to beat Italy only once in the tie-breaker, in Italy. After that Brazil suffered 3 losses: two by 3-1 and the last one by 3-0. Even so, Brazil's team was able to level the match until the 20th point but in the end, the Italian team technique and tactics prevailed over Brazil and they deserved to win. I think Italy is one step ahead of Brazil and Brazil needs to improve a lot to beat Italy.


    6) Poland:


    So far Brazil hasn't lost a single set to the Polish team, since 2005.


    7) Serbia:


    Brazil hasn't lost yet to serbia and in the last two matches Brazil has won with a comfortable difference of points in the first two sets.


    8 ) Netherlands:


    Brazil's only defeat to Netherlands was in 5 sets in the final round of the Grand Prix without Fabi (the coach decided to test Arlene in the final round of the competition), Jaqueline, Fofão and Walewska.



    My point is... Brazil may not have evolved as much as it was expected but the only two teams who were clearly superior to Brazil were Italy and China. In my opinion, the defeat against Russia in the 2007 WGP was the key for the Brazil's team lack of confidence in the other matches. Besides, the absence of key players and the lack of preparation time for the 2007 season also contributed for Brazil's team losses.
    If Brazil's team victories in 2005 should be put into perspective cause the best teams didn't have their full power, in 2007, Brazil's team losses should also be put in perspective because of all the reasons mentioned.

    The team that will play in Pan American Cup in Mexico


    Wing Spikers:
    Suelle
    Regiane Fernanda Aparecida Bidias
    Fernanda Rodrigues Garay
    Silvana Fernandes Pappini
    Natália Zílio Pereira
    Michelle Marinho Pavão
    Dayse C. de Oliveira Figueiredo


    Blockers:
    Barbara Louise BruchAdenizia Aparecida da Silva
    Natasha Odara Azevedo C. Farinea
    Natália Aparecida Martis


    Opposite:
    Juliana Valongo de Castro


    Libero:
    Camila de Paula Brait


    Setters:
    Danielle Rodrigues Lins
    Ana Tiemi Takagui

    Brazil is one of those teams which i consider as complete and a fully armed team. But im just kinda reluctant about Brazil since they usually crumbles when they are playing crucial games. And i think they are still haunted by what happened in Athens 4 years ago. I hope they will improve on that before the other team utilizes on it. Hope to see a podium finish in Beijing.

    "[size=8]It's years and years of work and sacrifice and dedication. Along with a lot of these girls, we've sweat and we've bled and we've cried together in past Olympics. It just brought tears to my eyes, & I'm more than thrilled. This will be forever." -LOGAN MAILE LEI TOM (Silver Medallist - 2008 Beijing & 2012 London Olympic Games, 2011 World Cup runner up, 2003 & 2007 World Cup 3rd place, 2002 World Champs runner up, 4-time World GrandPrix Champs)