If Levski continues to play like that, they can do anything. The question is can they keep that level?
Bulgarian Superleague 2010-2011
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A nice derby in Sofia between the rivals Levski and CSKA. Levski played almost at the top of their abilities, they were perfectly aware that CSKA was going to be tired after the return trip from Ankara, which they finished the night before the game. Taking a set was the most they could achieve with CSKA underperforming, even though the game probably deserved to end in 5 sets.
The rest of the games were more or less clear. I already talked about the improvement of Kaliakra, their visit in Gabrovo is worth mentioning as well.
Can see when Levski played a good match and lost
but you don't reallly believe it is possible to get on the final, do you? 
I thought only Pirin and Neftochimik are able to do this, but Neftochimik proved me soooooooo wrong on that matter in the derby with Pirin that it is higly doubtfull for now!
Pirin can surely stop CSKA, but I guess only in a single game. Neftochimik made some mistakes with the pre-season selection, the head coach Plamen Hristov is paying for these mistakes right now, they might suffer even more when the play-off games approach. The main secret weapon for Neftochimik would be the home games, but we would need an underperforming CSKA and Pirin to see some miracles this season..
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Todor Vulchev is doing pretty well as opposite in Marek
It looks like every OH can be great Opposite in Bulgarian volleyball, may be only the libero will not be above average -
Pirin Balkanstroy - Slavia 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 20-25, 25-18 ) http://bgvolleyball.com/files/volleyball/stats/2708.html
The link is broken
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The link is broken
Yes, you are right. The reason for that is the website administrators of bgvolleyball.com are currently moving to another data server, so there could be some complications trying to access parts of the website content. The link would either work very soon or I will change it with an updated one as long as they fix it
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3 games to mention in this 18th round. In the derby for the third place Mrek took all the points against Neftochimik at home. Marek still needs to play against both CSKA and Pirin, which will give Neftochimik some time to take points, but the fact is that the team from Bourgas disappointed. They obviously lack the class they had in previous seasons and this year's squad selection, as already discussed several times, is really uncapable of achieving something more than 3rd place. They don't play much better despite the months that went by, CSKA will soon come to visit in Bourgas and I doubt we could expect something more than a set at home. It's not that of a problem that Neftochimik is going a step down, but that the gap between the first two and the rest is obviously huge.
An extremely surprising away victory for the young Cherno more in Kardzhali. Arda is another team without Neven Neshev, now in Posojilnica in Austria, the results of the team without him are quite bad, but still they lost to one of the weakest teams without even winning a set at home. Hard times approach Arda if they don't change the squad immediately.
Last, surprisingly easy home victory for Levski against the supposedly better Gabrovo. Coco Volley Club still lack the experience and the quality to remain a factor in the first league, so I guess they will continue with the ups and downs till the end of the regular season.
Levski has players that were on the final of last years ECH for U21, severely underestimated team. Did you watch them against CSKA? -
Levski has players that were on the final of last years ECH for U21, severely underestimated team. Did you watch them against CSKA?Yes, we all know they have a future ahead, but they need to work a lot to make an impact in the men's pro league, not in the junior's one. I watched them against CSKA, they truly played a great game against a tired CSKA showing no more than 30-40% of their capabilities. Don't get me wrong, what Nikolay Zhelyazkov is doing in Levski deserves a lot of respect and patience, we all like this young team, when I commented on their home win versus Gabrovo I said "surprisingly easy". Gabrovo is unstable, it's not surprising for Levski to take advantage, it's surprising to do so in such a convincing fashion
Gabrovo has, after all, more experienced players, but they are indeed not much better than Levski, for example. -
Great performance for Todorov in the two games with Kaliakra - they played also for the cup. He should get more chances for attack, to be used as main scorer.
Levski are improving as results, could surprise at the playoffs if they are at least 7th -
Pirin Balkanstroy - Marek Union-Ivkoni 3-0 (29-27, 25-19, 25-21) http://bgvolleyball.com/files/volleyball/stats/2725.html
The statistic is a little wired to me> Niki Penchev with awful reception and improved attack.
Lol we had one promising good receiver (on every 10 years
) and now he seemed to become good attacker 
and choked the reception! 
The most notable game this weekend was in Razlog where the hosts Pirin met Marek in the derby of south-western Bulgaria. The match was indeed a derby offering a very nice display from bith sides, at the end it was the more experienced and balanced team that took all the points. It was very disappointing for the guests to play such a nice game and not even take a set, they should especially regret not closing the first one since they missed 3 or 4 set points in their favour. Pirin did not play that convincingly this weekend, which was the reason why the game was open till the beginning of the last set. Of course, Marek showed some great defence and attacks to threaten Pirin and I am truly sorry they missed taking the first set, the game could've turned in another direction afterwards. Gadzhanov (Pirin MB, one of the tallest players in Bulgaria, 215 cm according to volleyball.bg) made some mistakes in attack, which might've been crucial had Marek taken advantage of them. Anyway, a nice derby to watch, proving once more that Pirin and CSKA are surely heading for the league final play-off.
Yeah, Marek really hit the stone against Pirin
, but I am glad to see that they fight! Unlike Neftochimik, who really choked that derby with Pirin and shown nothing 
I can't understand why they gave up that easily. Neftochimik's coach said that now they are where they belong - the 3rd place??? Why? Why not challenging at least Pirin for the second place if not CSKA for the title? I was very disappointed from them to be honest!Sorry YavorD, I know you love that team. I liked them too, but I can't stand that loser's attitude.
As for Marek, if they keep fighting like that and show such a good game they may, after all, throw Neftochimik out from the 3rd place!
Pirin seems to be very confident! I like the team chemistry and spirit the have! They will surely give a shot for the title!
The decisive match is on March 22, when Pirin will play CSKA!
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The statistic is a little wired to me> Niki Penchev with awful reception and improved attack.
Lol we had one promising good receiver (on every 10 years ) and now he seemed to become good attacker and choked the reception!
Don't forget Metodi Ananiev. He is the most balanced receiver we have for the last 10 years - reception, serve, attack, block, (363 cm attack, 345 cm block) defense. He needs to improve mentally and to learn a lot, but the man has huge potential. If only he can play constantly near 100% -
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The statistic is a little wired to me> Niki Penchev with awful reception and improved attack.
Lol we had one promising good receiver (on every 10 years ) and now he seemed to become good attacker and choked the reception! Yeah, Marek really hit the stone against Pirin
, but I am glad to see that they fight! Unlike Neftochimik, who really choked that derby with Pirin and shown nothing I can't understand why they gave up that easily. Neftochimik's coach said that now they are where they belong - the 3rd place??? Why? Why not challenging at least Pirin for the second place if not CSKA for the title? I was very disappointed from them to be honest!Sorry YavorD, I know you love that team. I liked them too, but I can't stand that loser's attitude.
As for Marek, if they keep fighting like that and show such a good game they may, after all, throw Neftochimik out from the 3rd place!
Pirin seems to be very confident! I like the team chemistry and spirit the have! They will surely give a shot for the title!
The decisive match is on March 22, when Pirin will play CSKA!
OK, so now I know what you think even though you remember I always know what you think well, seriously, the only person for me to blame is the head coach Plamen Hristov himself, he is the one responsible for the overall sipirt of the team, and this spirit is often surprisingly low even for us! When he said the 3rd place is OK for Neftochimik he rather meant he was realistic, not that they won't try fighting for something. But let's see - we are almost surely finishing 3rd. If we beat Levski in the last round in Sofia, we are definitely staying in top 3, CSKA and Pirin are way too far to be reached. This means we enter the play-offs as a 3rd ranked team (enough to get medals if nothing more) and, of course, do our best to make some surprises maybe versus Pirin in the semifinal play-off. Hristov just wanted to be realistic, you know he is going to try eveyrthing, he proved it last year with Levski. Bourgas is aware he made some mistakes with the signings this year, I already commented this issue. For example, we don't have a properly performing opposite, which is a huge disadvantage as you know, and the coach is regularly complaining about the mediocre (this year) Teodor Bogdanov, whom I never liked at all, his move to our club is still a complete mystery. Right now the setter Stefanovic is also injured, so we should be more patient and wait for the play-offs, even though with this roster I don't expect much more than bronze medals indeed.About Niki Penchev, you're judging just by one game
Besides, Marek played well and his reception suffered that afternoon, surely just a bad day. -
OK, so now I know what you think
even though you remember I always know what you think well, seriously, the only person for me to blame is the head coach Plamen Hristov himself, he is the one responsible for the overall sipirt of the team, and this spirit is often surprisingly low even for us! When he said the 3rd place is OK for Neftochimik he rather meant he was realistic, not that they won't try fighting for something. But let's see - we are almost surely finishing 3rd. If we beat Levski in the last round in Sofia, we are definitely staying in top 3, CSKA and Pirin are way too far to be reached. This means we enter the play-offs as a 3rd ranked team (enough to get medals if nothing more) and, of course, do our best to make some surprises maybe versus Pirin in the semifinal play-off. Hristov just wanted to be realistic, you know he is going to try eveyrthing, he proved it last year with Levski. Bourgas is aware he made some mistakes with the signings this year, I already commented this issue. For example, we don't have a properly performing opposite, which is a huge disadvantage as you know, and the coach is regularly complaining about the mediocre (this year) Teodor Bogdanov, whom I never liked at all, his move to our club is still a complete mystery. Right now the setter Stefanovic is also injured, so we should be more patient and wait for the play-offs, even though with this roster I don't expect much more than bronze medals indeed.About Niki Penchev, you're judging just by one game
Besides, Marek played well and his reception suffered that afternoon, surely just a bad day.Ah, I can see now raylight coming to argue with you about how you "are almost surely finishing 3rd. If we beat Levski in the last round in Sofia, we are definitely staying in top 3"
Sorry to hear that about Stefanovic.
Neftochimik disappointed so much not only because they will not reach Pirin - it is obvious the gap is huge, but rather not putting any effort in the derby. Marek also was perfectly aware of the fact Pirin is a much stronger team, but they were really fighting and deserved admirations! That is probably the reason why they defeated the team from Bourgas as well. If I was on your side I wouldn't be so confident about the top 3, you know, those calculations sometimes prove to be very wrong at the end
Hope you are right about Penchev. He is, after all, a teenager. We can't expect him being a high level all the time.
My greatest desire this season is Pirin taking the cup and maybe CSKA the championship. I'd love to see Pirin playing the CEV Cup next year (if they keep the team).