Olympic Games - Brazil 2016 (qualification process)

    Quote from serdar

    Gizem Örge was cut from roster :white: :mad: :wall: Neither Gizem Karadayı nor Merve Dalbeler is good receiver, which is known by any mediocre volleyball supporter :rolleyes: Dalbeler is not even playing any match in the league. There is simply no point to take her over Gizem Örge :read:


    The last player to be cut must be Gözde Yılmaz. Both Polen and Hande are performing better than Gözde as Opp and Neslihan is irreplacable with her experience and reception skills. Neslihan as receiving Opp and Neriman only focusing on attacking would be the best strategy. For MBs, Eda's slot is reserved but I expect a rotation between Kübra and Bahar. I hope Bahar would keep her good shape in NT too. For setters, I would choose Nilay over Özge. Nilay is quite risky as a starter setter but she always did a pretty good job as a backup setter. On the other hand Özge is very very bad as backup setter. She almost always makes a technical direct mistakes whenever she enters to the game in a critical moment (remember 2012 OG) Also Nilay has already been training with both Neslihan and Hande so she could perform better in the case of double substitution.


    What about other teams roster? Hasn't all final 14 rosters published?

    Cutting Gizem Örge is ridiculous. If Ferhat could convince Gulden to comeback to the NT, it would be great since she is having a very good season. But neither Merve nor Gizem K. are having a good season. Gizem Karadayi's receiving stats are bad and these liberos are both covered by their OHs in the league at some serve rotations. I agree that Gizem Örge is a terrible defender though, 2 libero system could be perfect.


    In my opinion, I would leave Hande Baladin out this time. Gözde Yilmaz has more experience as OH and Turkey might need an attacking OH to replace Neriman at times since we saw her failing both in attacking/receiving this season. Hande Baladin as OH is a bit too risky and noone else is an attacking OH in the team.


    I like that Özge is there instead of Nilay. To me, Nilay does not make a threat to the setter on the court while we say Özge playing quite many matches with the NT. If Özge is there, I'm sure it will improve Naz's performance and remind her that she has to do better.


    I'm really glad that Bahar is back. Her last 2-3 games are not exceptional in the Italian league, especially the last one with 10% in attacking. But I still think Bahar&Eda duo will do better with Kubra as sub.

    Belgium has announced their final roster:



    Setter: Frauke Dirickx, Jasmien Biebauw, Ilka Van de Vyver


    Opposites: Lise Van Hecke, Kaja Grobelna


    Outside-Hitters: Els Vandesteene, Charlotte Leys, Céline Van Gestel, Hélène Rousseaux


    Middle: Laura Heyrman, Freya Aelbrecht, Nathalie Lemmens


    Libero: Valerie Courtois, Britt Ruysschaert

    So staring line-up will be obviously the same as always, just some backups changed :D Van De Vyver probably will be used as serve jocker and Rousseaux is back, but she's been far from convincing lately, so she'll be probably on bench and Vandesteene, no matter how poor spiker she can be, will stay on court :D

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Quote from serdar


    Nobody claims that Gizem is great digger. That's why we should play with two libero in rotation. Merve's reception is as bad as Karadayı, she can't pass even easy balls well enough. If Ferhat doesn't want to use two libero system,still we should use Gizem Örge. When you have Neriman in the reception lineup, digging should not be as big concern as reception :whistle:


    Gizem Karadayi is horrible this season, i'm not talking only about her passing but also her defence, that's why i like Merve much more. Akbas was working with Orge for a long time in Vakif, he know her very well.. so, for sure there's a reason for him to prefer Fener's duo.. now we will see if he is right or not.


    Actually my biggest fear is Neriman, i just hope she don't ruin the team, the same way she is doing in Eczaci.

    It's good to see that Bahar is doing well in Italy, she abosolutely deserved the call for the NT.. anyway, i think it's not fair to give her a spot in the starting six.. Kubra is much more talented, younger, everytime i watch her is see that she is improving, now she is a great blocker but also a good attacker from zone 2.
    Bahar Vs Gio Guidetti.. that sounds intersting but i don't think Akbas will let it happen, at least if he really wants to secure a ticket to Rio :D .

    for me Russia is the fav. they make the difference with their huge block over the net then Kosheleva-Goncharova duo behind the net.i saw a strong Russian team in last ECV and if Kosheleva-Goncharova can play like in the final match then hard to stop Russia


    Netherlands had a very good ECH.let wait and see how they will perform,they have very good offensive players and this is enough to make a team dangerous/strong.i like Robin she is a very good player .the problem can be the libero and sometimes the setter


    Italy is always a good team even without their best players


    Germany is an experienced team for this level and this is important ,they lack offensive weapons but they compensate with their team play,plus Kozuch has been playing well and if Fürst and Brinker can help her then we can watch a good/competitive German team


    Poland's problem is the middles. they dont have effective middles f.e such as Heyrman,Freya..other than that they have good hitters like Skowronska-Tomsia


    Belgium is a similar team to Germany : good team play,good defence good serves,Heyrman has having a good season and Leys too


    Croatia has good players but team play is question mark? interestingly they were the only team to beat Russia in last ECH..lets see what they can do this time


    Turkey didnt play well enough in last ECH..it appeared that the team was not prepared enough..i hope this time they are readier than the ECH..nice to see Özge and Neslihan back...lets see what Bahar can do this time..

    I have a feeling Netherlands will play in Turkey as Turkey outside Turkey- average.


    3rd place for Them after big fight or nothing.


    Germany because of Team Spirit are my Black Horses. I remember Their journey in Baku 2004.

    Quote from Bartek

    I remember Their journey in Baku 2004.

    So do I, and to refresh my memories I rewatched a couple of matches lately....that was one crazy tournament! The mother of German setter passed away short before the tournament and it was questionable if she would join the team, eventually she did but cried her eyes out after every match.
    Germany won the 1st match easy 3:0 against AZE, then lost 14:16 in tie-break against Poland, the next day had to beat Russia in the last pool match to reach semifinals and won 15:13 in tie-break, without break on the next day they played semifinal against Italy who was world champion back then, Italy won the first two sets very easy with Piccinini and Gioli doing whatever they wanted at the net, then in 3rd set Germany improved block-defense and Italy was more bothered with complaining to the referee after every rally than with winning the match, so Germany took it to tie-break (3rd one within 48 hours :!: ), started 2:7 and 4:8 there, came back to lead at 12:11, then lost three easy points to give two match points to Italy who gave away both by out attacks (later a video showed that the 2nd one was actually on the line so Italy should have won 15:13) and eventually Germany won the match sensationally 17:15.
    Three tie-breaks in three days, all decided by two points, eliminating Russia and Italy...then in final we played against Turkey who in semifinal surprisingly had beaten Poland. Niemczyk in the last pool match rested all his starters and lost to AZE 0:3 to avoid Italy in semifinal and as "reward" Neslihan single-handedly took care of them.
    In final Germany played an incredible game, after a close 1st set they totally destroyed Turkey, 3rd set was 25:7. Atika Bouagaa scored something like 10 aces with jump serves and Turkey totally fell apart.
    Back then it was a completely different sport, jump float did not exist, players either made easy standing float serves or tried to do hard jump serves, but in general teams were receiving something like 75% perfect back then most of the time :white: Oh these memories :D


    But I don't think it will repeat this year. I will be the happiest person in the world if Germany can take 3rd place, 1st place is out of reach...but so it was in 2004 :whistle:

    I don't know what to expect from Croatia...


    They have great individual players, but never played a great tournament.


    Barun, Fabris, Poljak, Jerkov are great players. Who is their coach?

    Gioli played in the qualification? Why did she not play during the OGs?!

    Quote from flyingdutchman

    I don't know what to expect from Croatia...


    They have great individual players, but never played a great tournament.


    Barun, Fabris, Poljak, Jerkov are great players. Who is their coach?


    A. Aksentijević.
    Our adventege is that our girls has HUGE experience and girls knows how to play this important tournamtes but as inidividual players not as team.


    We saw their game against Russia, but we saw their game aginst Belarus, even matche against Italy was very good, and We played without Jerkov, and She is better and more stabile player than Ušić. And now We are without her.


    We beat Germany on last WCH. Holland two time but without Guidetti and Sloetjes. But it was 3:2. So everyone could won.


    I repeat, Croatia will play how setters will let them. This year is diffrent for Grbac because She is playing and not sitting on the bench most of time. But i would put Brcic as starter butI don't think it will happend.


    I know some things more than you guys, and something strange happend on matche between Russia-Croatia and that is because of Maja Poljak and tnx God that we have her. And I can't talk about it. Sorry.

    Quote from Matthias

    Kathleen Weiß


    Where do you watch those matches Matthias? I missed those ones since I have started following volleyball matches after 2006 WCh. It would be nice to watch some nostalgic matches, especially miss to watch Aysun Özbek who was the best slider at that time and also Neslihan in her "queen" times :rose: