2013 FIVB World Grand Prix

    With 20 teams it's very hard to predict because pool compositions play a big role. I don't know all pools by heart but German pools are not too hard, I think every weekend we have 2 opponents that we can beat...I agree with your list and I'd add Italy as another strong team, but in the end, it depends on the preliminary pools a lot.

    Quote from Matthias

    With 20 teams it's very hard to predict because pool compositions play a big role. I don't know all pools by heart but German pools are not too hard, I think every weekend we have 2 opponents that we can beat...I agree with your list and I'd add Italy as another strong team, but in the end, it depends on the preliminary pools a lot.


    I agree, as I said it is too early to predict now and we haven't seen the teams line up. I guess Japan will play with B team in preliminary round and A team in finals(I didn't know Japan will be the host). Total of wining sets may decide which teams will go to Japan. I think it would have been so much better if 8 teams would go to final stage.

    I would say Apart from the 3 teams i predict for the medals, Turkey Serbia and Japan as a host will be final 6. Russia and USA do not seem so good this WGP. But i would choose Russia for a F6 candidate. But tbh Brazil seems too good to be beaten. Onle One loss and they will be for sure in finals. There they will paly only without Jaqueline and they will just win easily

    Quote from trapalis

    I would say Apart from the 3 teams i predict for the medals, Turkey Serbia and Japan as a host will be final 6. Russia and USA do not seem so good this WGP. But i would choose Russia for a F6 candidate. But tbh Brazil seems too good to be beaten. Onle One loss and they will be for sure in finals. There they will paly only without Jaqueline and they will just win easily


    Everything can happen in volleyball. Eveybody expected USA to win the Olympics but they didn't. I say it again, it is too early. We must see how the teams play with their new players after Olympics.

    I guess it's soon to forecast the f6 too, but I'll play the game. :)
    My bets are Brazil, China, Russia, Turkey, Serbia and Japan (the host :lol:).
    It's difficult to predict because some teams have an easy way while the others have a hard one. If all teams should play against all them in the preliminary round we could do it better.

    I know USA is not even full B team but not making to the finals.. I don't know.. you put Turkey there.. I love turkey and I would even say they'd be in top 3 if I haven't seen them play Alassio and Mediterranean games, they play very very bad.. And they are one of the best teams in the world.. You put Serbia too.. same story.. We still haven;t seen them play this season, but they sucked at London.. Russia I agree they are playing well, much better and different than they used to.. However I wouldn't say USA would make it.. Alisha, Kristin, Thompson, Myashiro, Davis, Fawcett, Harmotto, Gibbemeyer, Klineman and there is Scott too (I doubt she'll play) Does they seem like a team that would make it to the finals?? I see them beating Turkey and Serbia right away

    Looking at the pool compositions, teams should not lose more than 2 matches in the whole preliminary if they want to make it to the final round. Here's an overview of the top teams' opponents:


    BRA: USA, POL, RUS / DOM, PUR, BUL / CUB, NED, KAZ
    USA: BRA, POL, RUS / SRB, NED, ALG / CZE, JPN, BUL
    CHN: CUB, NED, BUL / TUR, ARG, CZE / SRB, POL, ARG
    RUS: BRA, USA, POL / ITA, THA, CUB / THA, GER, PUR
    ITA: GER, ARG, KAZ / RUS, THA, CUB / TUR, DOM, ALG
    SRB: DOM, PUR, CZE / USA, NED, ALG / CHN, POL, ARG
    GER: ITA, ARG, KAZ / JPN, POL, KAZ / RUS, THA, PUR
    TUR: JPN, THA, ALG / CHN, ARG, CZE / ITA, DOM, ALG
    THA: JPN, TUR, ALG / RUS, ITA, CUB / RUS, GER, PUR


    I expect 5 out of these 9 teams to make it to final round. Thailand has only a minimal chance for me, they play twice against Russia and against Turkey, Italy and Germany, so only if they achieve several surprises they have a chance. Brazil has two hard matches with USA and Russia in the first week but their other pools are easy, probably they'll finish preliminary with 9 victories. USA also has hard matches with Brazil, Russia and Serbia, they should win at least one of those to make it to the finals. China plays all rounds at home and the only teams that might cause them trouble are Serbia and Turkey. Russia has been playing well so far this summer, but they have some hard opponents. Italy might win 9 matches but they might also lose 2 or 3. Serbia is the favourite against everyone except China and maybe USA. Germany could lose against Italy and Russia but win the other matches, and also Turkey is favourite against everyone except China and Italy.
    So in the end it will probably really come down to which team lost the most sets in their won matches and no team can afford surprising defeats against some weaker teams.

    Quote from USAvolleyfan

    I know USA is not even full B team but not making to the finals.. I don't know.. you put Turkey there.. I love turkey and I would even say they'd be in top 3 if I haven't seen them play Alassio and Mediterranean games, they play very very bad.. And they are one of the best teams in the world.. You put Serbia too.. same story.. We still haven;t seen them play this season, but they sucked at London.. Russia I agree they are playing well, much better and different than they used to.. However I wouldn't say USA would make it.. Alisha, Kristin, Thompson, Myashiro, Davis, Fawcett, Harmotto, Gibbemeyer, Klineman and there is Scott too (I doubt she'll play) Does they seem like a team that would make it to the finals?? I see them beating Turkey and Serbia right away


    Actually I put Turkey there because we have an easy path for F6. This roster of USA is strong as well, I expect them to get at least 6 wins but that might not be enough.They will play against Brazil,Russia and Serbia. Serbia sucked in London last year but you know they had so many injured players and this year Brakocevic had a fantastic year in Vakıfbank.They have one of the best MB duo: Rasic-Krsmanovic. One more thing Nikolic is back(we have many good examples that the players coming from giving birth have good performances).

    Turkey had a tough season start but I think they will play better in August. When you look at the matches, you can realize that mainly Vakıfbank players performed badly. They had a very long and very succesful club season. 47 matches 47 victories. Probably they will never have such an amazing season again. they are very very exhausted physically and mentally. It's not easy to come back with all concentration after a break for them. I know this may not a real excuse for their bad performance but I wanna think positive :) We can judge them better after Grand Prix I guess. ^^


    Playing against asian teams is still so hard for european teams except russia and serbia
    For turkey the pools are not easy ,they have never been succesful with asian game style and they play with china,japan and thailand more italy might be hard for them and eventhough dominic is weak they could make surprises
    I think russia could reach final round easily if they have 2 wins first week
    And for germany i think they will beat all the opponents in italy but after this round poland,japan russia and thailand matches will be so crucial.They have to beat poland and thailand when they r the home side but already if germany wants to be succesful in ECH they must show that they have enough power to have medals in grand prix :roll:
    Serbia is the biggest european candidate for golden medal

    It is difficult to predict who will be in the best shape because of so many changes in the teams. I think the biggest favorite for the title is Brasil, than Serbia, China, maybe USA and Russia, but we will have too wait and see ;)

    It also depends on the goals of the teams. For the European teams, WGP serves mainly as preparation for ECH, while I could imagine that for the American (North and South) teams it's more important than the continental championship. Germany almost always played bad in WGP in the last few years and got much better afterwards in the "big" tournaments.

    Quote from USAvolleyfan

    I know USA is not even full B team but not making to the finals.. I don't know.. you put Turkey there.. I love turkey and I would even say they'd be in top 3 if I haven't seen them play Alassio and Mediterranean games, they play very very bad.. And they are one of the best teams in the world.. You put Serbia too.. same story.. We still haven;t seen them play this season, but they sucked at London.. Russia I agree they are playing well, much better and different than they used to.. However I wouldn't say USA would make it.. Alisha, Kristin, Thompson, Myashiro, Davis, Fawcett, Harmotto, Gibbemeyer, Klineman and there is Scott too (I doubt she'll play) Does they seem like a team that would make it to the finals?? I see them beating Turkey and Serbia right away

    I was about to write USA, but I looked the pools superficially and decided on Turkey.
    In fact, I won't be surprised if USA defeated Brazil in the first weekend. You have a brilliant system and can play well even without your best players. When Brazil and USA plays, everything could happen. Last year I thought we were going to defeat your B team at the World Grand Prix and we lost. Then I thought you would defeat Brazil easily at London Olympic Games and we won. It's hard to say something, but I guess your way is much harder than Turkey, aside the fact you can go to f6 no matter the opponents. USA can defeat everybody here, but it's hard to imagine they winning in straigh sets. If you lost two matches and won one in the tie-break or if you lost one match and won 3-4 in the tie-break, you can be out. I know it's impossible to sort out the wheat from the chaff now, one month before the competition, but I'm only trying to think in general, you know, 'lock, stock and barrel'.

    Serbia has USA, China and Poland. They could progress even losing to USA in the tie-break. It's a good team and I guess drawing of lots paved their way.
    Between Turkey and Italy, it's difficult to say. I won't use the Mediterranean Games to compare. IMO Naz played with no conditions and Italy can play much better.

    Quote from ravens#7

    With Barbolini on bench?


    Unfortunately, I agree...Barbolini is the worst thing that could happen to Turkish NT :wall: :wall: :wall:

    After Neriman would join the team, i believe performance of team will increase. However it is true that with Barbolini as coach i stop expecting any success from our team

    Quote from serdar

    After Neriman would join the team, i believe performance of team will increase. However it is true that with Barbolini as coach i stop expecting any success from our team

    I like Neriman a lot.. but Seda is doing a very very good job as a OH.. I think the 4 OH should be Seda, Neriman, Gozde and Guldeniz... Esra is a good receiver but both Gozde and Guldeniz are better in attack than her.. so it's time for her to go IMO