World League 2010

    I can see why all of you guys get so impressed by Cuba's physical power, but that holds nothing on me. They were always super strong, but that doesn't mean they can make a team out of that. Cuba's tactical approach is a disaster, they rely solely on their physical habilities. That's why I think Simon's their best player, 'cause he's the one who's got a better reading of the game, besides being a strong attacker. Seriously, Leon and Leal were a lot better last year, but that's normal, 'cause they're still really young, so it's normal to be inconsistent.


    What Cuba needs is to work on their reception and setting skills and, perhaps, they should try to apply a new coaching approach. I say this because I think Cuba could be really huge, but not like this. I might bite my own tongue later, but I predict that unless Brazil plays awful tonight (which means playing worse than we have in the last couple of games), we're gonna sail through Cuba.


    Only reasons why Italy couldn't win 2nd set in the game against Cuba was because: a)Italy's not a very good team; b)as Vermiglio stated, they weren't really into the game. But I suspect if it comes the time that Cuba and Italy will face each other again in the WC, the outcome will be quite different.

    Quote from yates

    I can see why all of you guys get so impressed by Cuba's physical power, but that holds nothing on me. They were always super strong, but that doesn't mean they can make a team out of that. Cuba's tactical approach is a disaster, they rely solely on their physical habilities. That's why I think Simon's their best player, 'cause he's the one who's got a better reading of the game, besides being a strong attacker. Seriously, Leon and Leal were a lot better last year, but that's normal, 'cause they're still really young, so it's normal to be inconsistent.


    What Cuba needs is to work on their reception and setting skills and, perhaps, they should try to apply a new coaching approach. I say this because I think Cuba could be really huge, but not like this. I might bite my own tongue later, but I predict that unless Brazil plays awful tonight (which means playing worse than we have in the last couple of games), we're gonna sail through Cuba.


    Only reasons why Italy couldn't win 2nd set in the game against Cuba was because: a)Italy's not a very good team; b)as Vermiglio stated, they weren't really into the game. But I suspect if it comes the time that Cuba and Italy will face each other again in the WC, the outcome will be quite different.


    I think that in the games against Germany and Poland at the end of the first round showed that Cuba knows how to play intelligently. They changed tactics and surprised Castellani, which is very hard to achieve. In the game with Russia they started to play with block-outs after the second set, made more unpredictable setting, good decisions in digging-passing and they lost the tiebreak for only two errors, which can happen to anyone. I don't know if this is the coach or the players, but their play is not that simple as in the beginning of the World League. They do not defend like Brazil, USA or Poland, but they do think at the field! :bump:

    Berezhko can't play today again because of his knee, although Biryukin did well in replacing him against Cuba, i fear he wont do so good today, hope he proves me wrong, as Berezhko is an important player for Russia :)

    Quote from xprrT

    Berezhko can't play today again because of his knee, although Biryukin did well in replacing him against Cuba, i fear he wont do so good today, hope he proves me wrong, as Berezhko is an important player for Russia :)


    it´s a pity.. first berezhko, now khtei..without these playres, it will be impossible for russia to win WL this year :mad:

    It really is a pity about Khtey, i doubt he'll play tommorow, i had a similar accident last week, and i still cant play :S , i feel bad for him, he had an amazing tournament :/

    Quote from raylight


    I think that in the games against Germany and Poland at the end of the first round showed that Cuba knows how to play intelligently. They changed tactics and surprised Castellani, which is very hard to achieve. In the game with Russia they started to play with block-outs after the second set, made more unpredictable setting, good decisions in digging-passing and they lost the tiebreak for only two errors, which can happen to anyone. I don't know if this is the coach or the players, but their play is not that simple as in the beginning of the World League. They do not defend like Brazil, USA or Poland, but they do think at the field! :bump:


    Well, I'm not saying that they don't think... I just think their approach it's too simple, and once they face tougher opponents, they tend to get lost in their own tactics... I don't think Germany and Poland are really the standard here... Poland could take on Cuba, but they were clearly a mess during the international round...


    But I'm gonna give Cuba a vow of confidence... Let's see what they can show us next...


    By the way, I thought except for a couple of mistakes, Russia had an excellent presentation against Serbia and totally deserved to crush their opponents... Funny that against inferior teams, Russia couldn't play so good... You never know what to expect from them...

    Well, there you go... If you wanted a game to beat Brazil, that was your best bet... Bruno started the game awful... Marlon, who replaced him, was slightly better, but still spent the whole game making mistakes... Vissoto was out injured, and we had to endure Theo replacing him, who wasn't too shabby... But still, I don't know what Bernardo was thinking, 'cause he's obviously not in the list of the top 5 brazilian opposites...


    Our MB's barely got any balls throughout the whole game and their performances block-wise were pretty bad. Both teams blocked really badly today. So, if it wasn't for our usual suspects, Murilo and Dante, I don't know how we'd manage... They were awesome, as well as Mário, who probably had his best presentantion in NT so far...


    Worst decision of the game: cuban coach took Hernandez out of the match in the 4th set, when he was clearly best attacker from Cuba... I don't get that.


    Overall, I think the game was pretty cool, pretty intense, but level played was inferior to the other semifinal, which was dull, but "better played"... So, tomorrow, we're gonna have to overcome ourselves if we want to beat Russia...


    No matter what happens, I hope this serves to prove to Bernardo that we need better players... I'm thinking Ricardo and André Nascimento, that'd be very much needed for WC...

    For what I see in this final Round so far, Brazil is not playing well over all......we did much better in finals games from preliminary fase agianst Bulgaria, witch let me with a great expectation for this Final Round, but so far no good.


    Anyway, today after first set they could show a little bit more power in their game, celebrated more, and played more like Brazil with some good defenses....


    But, To win tomorrow, they will have to do much better! That is for sure! Russia is playing very well!


    Really sad that Cuban players always invade after atacking, well the OH mosly....it is really dangerous.....already had problems in the game against Italy and again today, first hitting Murilo, and then with Vissotto that ended getting injuried, Cuban players should really try to ivoit that! Player all over the world end passing to other court after a attack, cause of their power, but most can ivoit the contact....and try to not get close to the other team players....not the cubans....:(

    Somethnig about the Cuban. They have a huge potential, great opportunities but
    their attack is based on only strenght. However, they sometimes present a fantastic play, which I could watch non-stop. For example, Simon's attack in second tempo. Gorgeous! But their reception... OMGIf they could legally play in foreign leagues... They would be incredibly powerful if e.g Juantorena was in this team.




    In the final I keep fingers crossed for Russia. Although, without the main receiver it will be really hard to win. But we still have Musersky and Mikhajlov 8)

    In the finals i'll be cheering for Russia, as I did from the start of the World League, but i really don't see them winning today, as they will play without Berezhko and Khtey, especially Khtey will be missed as he has done an outstanding job not only in receiving and attacking but also blocking, it really is a pitty...


    Yes, it seems like the four games Brazil - Bulgaria/Bulgaria - Brazil were the toughest ones for Brazil so far. Rezende team had also a bit of luck that their opponents had missing players - Netherlands without Horstnik, Bulgaria with sick Kazyiski in the last two games, Todorov was injured. For that reason Netherlands and Bulgaria couldn't use the absence of Sergio at maximum. Now Russia is without Berezhko, Abramov, Htey, so the odds are for Brasil.

    About Cuba...well it's obvious that their game is clearly based on their insane strength. They're not playing smart. Usually when they face pretty solid team they tend to do lots of mistakes. Also imo they're not mentally strong. Sometimes when things go wrong they get lost easily. But anyway they're still my favourite team after Poland and I still love them no matter what! If only they could improve their reception and generally technical skills I would love them even more!
    It's such a pity that they lost against Brazil. Actually I didn't watch this match, but I'm cheering for them from the begining of WL so their defeat is quite disappointing for me. But anyway I'm sure they'll grab 3rd place.
    And about the final...well...I'll also cheer for Russia. I really like Russian team with new players from Belgorod! :D

    I think in order for Russia to win today, Biryukov will have to do something outstanding today, he did play well in the last matches, but he had a lot of help from Khtey, wel unfortunaetly, today he wont have his help...

    i don't know what happened to Aschemacher [2]


    he was so amazing, stepanenko too, i realy dont undertand why tehy are not there anymore


    awfull match yesterday of brazil and cuba, i really didnt like the middles was not used, teh setters and the attackes wasnt good good, the only players i liked were mario Jr, dante and hernandez that i couldnt got why cepeda entered (although i wanna sanchez back )


    today i hope russia despite all teh misses win this tournnamente , because tehy deserve a lot , especially mikhaylov :!:

    I hope that we can see Ricardinho in WC because Bruno and Marlon was not good in this WL..I really like Bruno in Cimed but in NT he didn't play all that he is capable..IMO Sandro is better than Marlon but Bernardinho likes him more.


    Leandro Vissotto is out so i hope that Theo can play a good match today..i don't like him a lot but yesterday he played fine...

    Yeah, I don't really think the "injury excuse" can be used... Other teams had injuries, but so had Brazil... And that goes regardless of the outcome tonight... If others teams were missing key players, as well as Russia may be tonight, Brazil had problems throughout the competition with Giba, Dante, Sérgio... And now Vissoto probably won't take part in the final... We're gonna play the "luck" game? Too bad Cuba didn't took advantage of the luck they had last night...


    Anyways, we've been lucky for quite a while, it seems...

    I haven't watched any match of the 2010 World League but the semifinals.


    I have to confess that I expected much more from Brazil. Anyway, Brazil's team grows in decisive moments and even if they are not playing well, I believe Brazil's team will fight with all their forces for this title. Personally, I believe that will not be enough, unless they improve a lot both tactically and technically. This is why I believe Russia is the favourite to win this match.


    I thought Brazil's inconsistency was due to the lack of preparation time, but that would be a good reason for the team playing bad in the first half of the preliminary round, not in the final round of the World League. Even if Brazil wins this title (cause just like Brazil, Russia's team is not going to play with its full force due to injury problems), I believe they have a lot to improve in case they want to play the World Championship with chances of being champions.

    I don't think that Brazil are inconsistent since they win all their games, no matter how. Their opponents play better and better and for Brazil gets harder and harder to win.

    first of i want to congratulate brazil :cup:
    i think khtey was the missing link in the match if he was there i think the match could have gone either way ..berezhko even tough he played you can see that he is bothered by his knee....
    i hate that krasikov :down: (even he had some moments like blocking) first his blocked shot was the momentum swinger then he served out that gave the match to brazil.......
    they had the lead 20-16
    and in the end russia crumbled to the pressure make some sily mistakes...