European Championships 2015 - hosts Italy and Bulgaria

  • Heynen's coaching abilities are a big ? for me. That game was almoast a copy of the firs game between these teams. Bulgarians were aiming at Kaliberda with float serves and concentrated their block against Grozer at the beggining. And Heynen did almost nothing ?(

  • I'm not too sad about Germany losing. Ever since their WCH medal they seem to think they're a world class team and it will simply go on like that all by itself. I hope this ECH teaches them some humility, for my taste they were way too overconfident. Actually the players are not even to blame, it was mainly Heynen who kept telling they're are world class team and they need to stop acting like they're not one.


    yup.

  • Wow. I was totally wrong in my gut prediction. I thought this would have turned into a battle of... serves and break points, and Russia would have prevailed. But the ball was in play more than I expected, and luckily our boys had the winning face today (especially the Russian of Italy) and, under these circumstances, we can beat them any day. Yeah, the Russian middles' terrible day did help.
    Also, I didn't expect Italy to have such a strong home court factor. You could just feel it from the tv.

  • I'm not too sad about Germany losing. Ever since their WCH medal they seem to think they're a world class team and it will simply go on like that all by itself. I hope this ECH teaches them some humility, for my taste they were way too overconfident. Actually the players are not even to blame, it was mainly Heynen who kept telling they're are world class team and they need to stop acting like they're not one.

    I agree with you.


    I remember when Heynen was upset because Germany was not in fist division of WL, as if they had won everthing in recent years. :hit:


    Kaliberda is not ready to play, maybe would be better to let him rest until january. His attack is not even close to what it was.


    Grozer is better than Schops, but ECh is a short competition and maybe play with Schops would be better, he was there the whole year.


    This Bulgaria is just a regular team, nothing special. IMO it's a big failure to lose like they did today.


    I dont think France will have any difficult against Bulgaria (without all the injured players, i think be in semi is a great result for Bulgaria).




    Friendly games means anything.

  • Horrifying and embarrassing Russia

    Per un pir, un pam un persec per na brogna e na rumleina, nuetr'a sam d'la Ghirlandeina nuetr'a sam da rispeter




  • Kruglov in just one set made more than Dima, Volvich and Sivo all together. :lol:


    Alekno. :aww:


    Volvich is simply terrible. Very very terrible. And Shcherbinin stays at home. :down:


    I still wonder why Savin didn't play after his good cameo.


    Verbov has the worst match of his career as well. Obmocahev didn't take a step on court.


    Italy is so lucky finding the worst Russia (or should I say Muserskiy and Verbov?) ever and meeting Slovenia instead of Poland.


    I like both France and Bulgaria. My hope is for France to win the second gold of the year.

  • What a match! I would have never expect that! Amazing Italy..smart and brave! :super: Juantorena was super both in attack and defence! Giannelli so precise with quick balls, Lanza had good spikes as Zaytsev at the end of third set!


    Too many mistakes for Russia..Muserski :white:

  • Oh come on, never a single good word for Italy, it's always the others who played bad.

  • ;( Wow...sad story :(

    His stepfather actually. Anyway, big tragedy for the kid ;(

  • Italy played this match as they played the first two sets against France. We could say France was soo lucky Italy stopped playing the next 3 sets, but it would be very unfair (and a lie) for Les Blues.


    It is the same today. Ok, it is true Russia played an awful match, but it doesnt mean Italy only won thanks to the russian mistakes. Personally, I think this is the best match of Zaytsev in the tournment, Juantorena was superb in almost every single thing (even setting), Lanza played smarter than in the last matches as well as Giannelli.


    And also, it isnt Italy fault Poland was able to cope with Slovenia as well as it isnt France's fault that Bulgaria seems an hospital and without its best player. It would be very nice to watch Giani against Italy :thumbsup:
    I hope Germany has learn the lesson :teach:


    Congratulations to the 4 semifinalists! All of them deserved their tickets to Sofia :win:

  • So on the afterthought it's France who got the most difficult road to the final?


    Wiell, they beat the hosts Italy( they are yet ro play vs Bul but I'm pretty sure they will win) and Serbia so I guess you are right.
    Hopefully Bulgaria will take that long-aiwated medal althogh Slovenia is a very good team and it will be a 50/50 game for the bronze.

  • A lot of surprises today, of course not Russia losing, they didn't have good year. Slovenia always had potential to cause upset, but didn't succeeded until today (Children of Glenn Hoag) . Poland was exhausted mentally from World Cup, as I wrote before - if you don't take a place, you should worry in the ECH, unfortunately. Germany was a surprise, I didn't expected Todorov/Aleksiev combo to break Grozer in two matches in a row /Aleksiev did incredible single block vs Grozer to get him out of the court/ and Germany to make so many mistakes. We didn't play well - the difference is mostly unforced errors. Our setting after bad reception is the worst of all teams I've watched /something with wich Zhekov could have helped/. Thank God for the middles to solve our spiking and blocking problems /Vlado did what he could with that setting/ France is a beast, and we are missing key players and key preparations that didn't happened, but we have our public :)


    P.S. I am sorry for Penchev's stepfather.