World Grand Champion's Cup 2009

  • Italy 3 - 0 Thailand
    (Barrazza got 5 points as blocks!)
    Brazil 3 - 0 Dominican Republic
    (Sheilla wasn't that good as much as before)

  • Takagui never uses the Middles, Lins tosses awfully as well. I totally agree. Brazil still needs fofao.
    And... Italy 3-2 Korea? WTH... Ortolani and Del core were replaced to Bosetti and Barcellini. I didn't watch that match,but I suppose Korea played well against italy.

  • Pequeno is really the only reason why Brazil is leading now, in the end of 2nd and 3rd set she made all points for them. Mari is also playing quite well, but as emil-kei said the middles are not involved at all in attack for Brazil. I hope Japan won't give up now!!

  • I neither like Japan, But Brazil needs Fofao or they should have found a better setter than Lins and Takagui :P although It looks really great that Pequeno is back. anyway, the only thing Menezes and Gattaz do is blocking against japanese attacks. (Takagui seems to be skilled better at blocking than setting XD) If they keep playing like that, they would be lost against someone soon. this is obviously the setter's fault so far. Volleyball isn't able to be worked well without the middles at all. Russia showed this a couple of times.
    :sleeping:

  • It was a cool game between Brazil and Japan, although Brazil didn't play very well and Japan missed a lot of good chances.


    Brazilians were very unstable overall. I think probably Mari was the one who was more reliable today, but it was a good thing that we could count on the players who came from the bench. Also, I disagree with scarpetta, who said that Natalia has most chances of remaining in the starting 6, instead of Mari. Natalia's very talented, but she still has a long way to become a regular player. The fact that she won't play as OH in our Superliga is very worrying.


    And, about what you guys commented, I think it's fair to say that Dani Lins and Ana Tiemi are still very far from being in Fofão's level. They'll probably never be as good as her, but Fofão is almost 40, she should be able to rest now, since it's what she wants, and I do believe we can manage to do well without her. Dani and Ana are very young still. Dani's very talented but unfortunately she's still very insecure and I think she breaks down too easy. I think Ana is more "put together", but technically, her game is too simple. She does what's easier for her. A pitty too that she probably won't even play too much during Superliga again.


    As for Japan, all I can say is it is a joy to watch Takeshita play. Unfortunaley, her fellows are not as good as her.

  • Dani didnt play well today...and I to be honest dont like the way of game of Ana Tiemi, she is second in her team in Brasil, and she dont play a complete game for two years already..I still dont understand why Zé called her, we have so many otehr good and young setters in Brasil.
    Ana dont use middle balls....Brasil only won cause they have much stronger spikers then Japan!


    And as I always think about this National Team of Brasil...everything goes 100% beauty when they are winning...but if they start loosing, the true is that Zé dont have the respect of his players....and he dont know how to deal with defeats. Is my opinion.

  • I must say I am very happy to see that Japan uses Yamaguchi as opposite. She can receive instead of Kurihara and has a lot of options in attack. In fact, her way of playing reminds me a bit of Sokolova, just 15cm shorter :S But this is the way Japanese volleyball must be going, quick and variable attacks, and not the stupid backrow attacks they tried earlier in summer :thumbdown: I agree with yates about Takeshita, it is impossible to imagine Japan team without her...


    It is quite obvious that Brazil and Italy did not prepare as intensely as Japan and Korea for this tournament, they are far from their best shape. The most important thing is that their game doesn't "flow" as usually, there are many little insecurities, misunderstandings, lack of precision and all that sums up. In the end the individual class of the players still makes a difference, but they can play better as team. About Italy, Ortolani definitely can't fill the void that Aguero left. She is a big talent, but that's what she has been for the last 5 years too, I am still waiting that the big talent turns into a real good player...

  • Carol Albuquerque is playing very well and was recently voted the best setter in the South American club championship by Sollys Osasco. I believe she returns to the national team if things continue like this ...



    :sos: Dani Lins and Ana Tiemi :sos:

  • Barcellini also played quite well today as del core's replacer. her float serve was impressive too. I think Piccinini and Del core are amazing players,but Italy should find more talented wing spikers who can replace Piccinini and Del core so far, as you see..like Barcellini and Bosetti. Bosetti could take a reception and she could play as OPP and OH as well. I'm looking forward to see Bosetti and Barcellini more in the italy national team. and Gioli,Barazza. There's no doubt about them (Though I want to see Martina as a main middle blocker of italy :D)anyway, Italy has to fight with Dominican republic,Brazil and Japan through 3 days. these games might be really interesting.
    I'm a fan of Italy, hopefully they will be won the gold medal :)


    Forza azzurri! :cup:

  • Matthias the sad thing is that Brasil did train a lot and prepare themselves only for this tournament..hehehe...they were one month already trainning in Saquarema, where has Braislian center of trianning.
    The Italian team is the other way...the girls just came back from the European Championship...where they ahd to prepare themselves very well..so..they just had to make a high in their preparation for the ECH, witch already would make them to not be in best shape right now...and not only that, they had to play the Italian Championship that already begin, so, they almost didnt had time to train now for this tournament.

  • Matthias the sad thing is that Brasil did train a lot and prepare themselves only for this tournament..hehehe...they were one month already trainning in Saquarema, where has Braislian center of trianning.
    The Italian team is the other way...the girls just came back from the European Championship...where they ahd to prepare themselves very well..so..they just had to make a high in their preparation for the ECH, witch already would make them to not be in best shape right now...and not only that, they had to play the Italian Championship that already begin, so, they almost didnt had time to train now for this tournament.


    I think Italy and Brazil focused on playing against each other and the stuff team much more than Japan and Korea. That's why they had a kind of hard game today, although they eventually won.

  • No, I indeed meant they didn't prepare as intensely in general ;) But I don't necessarily mean the amount of training, it's more a question of approach. I think Brazil and Italy don't take this tournament too serious, but for the Asian teams it is a big event. I am sure Italy and Brazil would do a lot better if this was a more important tournament.

  • Neither Brasil nor Italy were convincing.But Italy loosing 2 sets against Korea is bigger surprise than Brasil losing a set against
    Japan.Maybe with this result Korea partialy justified their presence in this competition.


    Brasil is surely having lots of problems sinceFofao left.It has been like this the whole season.But they are winning matches despite not playing well.Brasilian team was in great danger of losing some matches in GP but they always pulled together in critical moments.Somebody wrote here that if they keep playing like this they will adventualy lose to someone.Well, of course they will.Because they are not unbeatable.And that is something that brasilian coach and players keep repeating.


    I think Paula must be the starter.Not only because of the quality of her game but also because the whole team looks more secure when she is on court.It's a
    shame that she is not the captain.She has leadership qualities, unlike Dani Lins.


    Brasil is missing Fabiana a lot.She is by far the best attacker of all brasilian MB.


    Maybe Ze will give a call to Fabiola instead of Ana Tiemi if Ana is not the starter in her team next season.Afterall she was Junior World champion,with Paula,Sheilla, Jacqueline and Sassa.


    Interesting that brasilian players spend more time in NT than in their clubs.They gathered in may and they have been in NT till november.I think they are
    sick and tired of each other :D .

  • As a matter of fact, I actually think Dani Lins and Ana Tiemi should be in NT, instead of any others. I think Carol is in the same level of Dani, but she won't improve that much and she's not that young anymore. I believe Dani is potentially better. Fabíola is not good enough for NT in my opinion.


    About Ana, it's really a shame, because I thought she had a lot of potential like 3 years ago, when she played in Minas. She worked with the middle and also set to the backrow well enough. For me, the difference is that when she was there, she worked with a coach that believed in her. When she moved to Osasco, that wasn't the case anymore. It's a contradition that José Roberto calls her when she's not in starting 6 of her own club, because that's a rule he created himself. But I do think she can improve a lot.


    After them, my hopes go with the girls that played in juvenile and youth NT this year, Roberta and Rosane.