2014 FIVB World Grand Prix

    Diouf and Fiorin saved the 3rd set for Italy.
    I would like to see Özgenur instead of Bahar for a while. She is better in creating alternatives in attacking to the setter although her kill rate is not high. Moreover she likes to attack slides which might be useful.

    5-1 Italy then 5-8 Turkey :down:

    Meliha's reception is driving me crazy :wall:

    as an italian fan , i dont want them to get into wqp final


    too many of them have got injured...i am very sad

    Turkey is in finals :dance6:

    Congrats to Turkey, I'm pretty sure Akman will be one of the best MBs on the globe soon...along with Chirichella and Kakolewska. She's so good.


    Italy kinda reminds me of Serbia in 2012. Many players getting injuried, they should go home and take a rest and then get ready for the big picture...

    If my calculations are correct (and there's a good chance they are not, knowing my lack of mathematical abilities :D ), a five set match between Germany and Russia would take USA to the finals for sure, if it ends in 3 or 4 sets whoever wins will make the finals instead.

    Quote from Matthias

    You can't compare those matches. First of all, Bosetti-Del Core is a difference like night and day. And second, I have the impression that Italian team decided that not playing final round would be better for them with regards to WCH preparations. Right now they need to take care of all their injured players and not play 5 more matches where more players can get hurt.


    So u mean yesterday they wanted it so much even when they were behind 2-0 and today they decided not to go finals.Nah i dont think so they tried so much but turkey was better or more aggressive and they won.The biggest problem of german team for me lack of agressiveness.Sometimes they have it fully but so much ups and downs so if opponent is strong its so hard to beat them.

    Haha Barbolini's reaction in the end :lol:


    Gözde had a good game in Turkey. Gizem Karadayi is painful to watch! She can't receive, she can't set a proper ball to the spikers when needed. The only thing she does is digging well. I'm surprised that everyone was complaining about Nihan but Gizem Karadayi is not a better libero than her IMO.
    Naz surprised me in a bad way today. Some of the sets in crucial parts were so bad that I'm surprised Naz is the one setting those. However I still like the way she sets to everyone etc.
    Meliha is a good prospect but she needs to learn to receive better than this. Her reception is not better than Neriman considering today's game however Neriman is a great attacker compared to her. I hope she learns how to receive. I think we will see her as a service expert in Fenerbahce this season entering just to serve time to time.


    In Italy, Diouf was unstoppable. She is slow but hits the ball on right places. Fiorin also made a positive change besides her bad receptions in the 4th set.


    Congrats Turkey! :box: :super:

    Turkey in Final 6 :dance6:
    Karadayi performance has been terrible. Gozde has been unstoppable in the last set. :box:
    Picci should retire ans we would remember her as a great player... Diouf is a killer and Fiorin has been really good.

    Btw big congrats to turkish team they played so good especially gözde was almost perfect :super: now that would be perfect just if germany can also qualify turkey,germany,belgium my teams are in final6 :D

    I think you turkish users can be proud of your girls, advancing to the final without Neslihan :D It was simply impressive because I never expected them to make it to the final, Neriman taking all the responsibilities in attacks, how funny that she always plays better when Neslihan is not there. Meliha(That's her name, right?) is pretty promising too, she has dangerous serves at least. Kubra Akman no doubt is the best MB right now of Turkey, when she gains more experience against stronger teams, she can be a big named star, maybe in some years we'd call her "Turkish Thaisa" :D I like Asuman. Gozde always saves her team, Bahar played a great tournament, the only player I disliked to watch is Gizem Karadayi. I wouldn't say Nihan is worse than her.

    If Barbolini wants to continue with this system he should consider using Merve as "Opp". She is fairly tall for a L and as far as I remember she played as attacker some years ago. She would certainly receive better than Meliha/Güldeniz and she wouldn't have many attacking duties anyway, so in that sense it would not make much difference.

    How about using Merve as libero !! Only reason Gizem continues to play after disastrous Germany match is her club team 'Vakıfbank'.
    Neriman has never lead a team to success and I think in Rio Olympics she will lost her spot in the starting 6.
    In Turkey, right now some of the fans are calling Gözde as Michael Jordan of volleyball. It is surely exaggeration but she is the best Turkish player right now.
    I don't think Vakıfbank crew likes Meliha and Barbolini doesn't help her with forcing her to play OPP position. It is clear Meliha is not ready for this stage and she has way to go but it is annoying to see setters prejudice against her.

    Quote from Matthias

    If Barbolini wants to continue with this system he should consider using Merve as "Opp". She is fairly tall for a L and as far as I remember she played as attacker some years ago. She would certainly receive better than Meliha/Güldeniz and she wouldn't have many attacking duties anyway, so in that sense it would not make much difference.


    That was what I suggested before, In Barbolini's system, he wants Neriman to focus only attacking and receiver Opp won't have any attacking responsibilities as he has already tried in GS with Neriman and Calderon before or as CHN did with Yimei as OH. In this case Güldeniz is not contributing more than any libero. I don't think Merve would be worse than Güldeniz at blocking. Merve was OH at Junior NT than she specialized at libero. Noone expecting from her to attack anyway since Güldeniz or Meliha also attack only 2-3 times per match. In this system Esra would work very well since she might be best receiver in the world with Marcon and a super digger. However, in the absence of her, using a real libero instead of a 'pseudo-defensive OH' is wiser idea :rolleyes:

    One more spot left:
    - If Russia wins 3-0/3-1, they qualify
    - If Germany wins 3-0/3-1, they qualify
    - If both go to 5th set, USA qualifies
    Correct me if I'm wrong((: