Guys, is it for You too hard to write Shlyakhovaya?
I see Nastya S or S@%$#^%@$# too often
btw. it seems that we may see 3 OPs in WCH, it's more probable to have Malykh and Obmochaeva both in italy than to see Bavykina unless she'll perform brilliantly in next games...
Well i could learn to write that but not that Romanian O%$#^&#% MB who plays in Cannes 
Well i could learn to write that but not that Romanian O%$#^&#% MB who plays in Cannes
Nneka Onyejekwe? 
Nneka Onyejekwe?
Of course I like her so much... And I always have to search her on the net to write something about her.. I have problems with remembering names in my private life so I am really impressed with myself with knowing so much names and even surnames of players, all around the world
Sorry 
I can type Shlyakhovaya but last weekend I realized I was typing Scherban wrong. Her lastname is Shcherban 
Well I know some worse...Theres a polish player named Łyszkiewicz 
Be happy that you are not finnish anyway...their names are doubly insane than Onyejewke or Shylyakhovaya or Dziekiewicz. XD.
Well I know some worse...Theres a polish player named Łyszkiewicz
Adding to the Nothing, absolutely nothing beats that German team VfB Fried$#^9&$%^&&(%&#$@#fen 
Well I know some worse...Theres a polish player named Łyszkiewicz
slavic names are quite easy, maybe for me it's easier because I'm from Poland, but I remember names and people quite easily
estranged, it's VFB Friedrichshafen
Obmochaeva looked quite unmotivated last weekend. It might well be frustration due to her lack of physical shape. But, if we want to speculate, it may also be the prospect of the imminent return of her “dear old friend” to the NT...
Anyway, my point is that I really never knew the origin of the “misunderstanding” between Obmochaeva and Gamova. Please, could someone explain how it started?
Obmochaeva looked quite unmotivated last weekend. It might well be frustration due to her lack of physical shape. But, if we want to speculate, it may also be the prospect of the imminent return of her “dear old friend” to the NT...
Anyway, my point is that I really never knew the origin of the “misunderstanding” between Obmochaeva and Gamova. Please, could someone explain how it started?
I don't know about before, but after the match in Russian Super League when they screamed at each other through the net, Gamova before thematch said some things which I don't remember but Natalia felt offended.. I don't know if this Is when the problems started or they exsisted before
I don't know about before, but after the match in Russian Super League when they screamed at each other through the net, Gamova before thematch said some things which I don't remember but Natalia felt offended.. I don't know if this Is when the problems started or they exsisted before
Gamova is upset that she is no longer the only person to be screaming inside the court But seriously I think the issue between the two has been blown out of proportion by the fans. If anything, it couldn't be worse than the issue with Piccinini and Gioli and the rest of the Italian team, otherwise the two couldn't stand playing with each other back in London 2012. I fondly remember Katya was even tapping the shoulder of Natalia everytime the latter would score an important point especially the game against Brazil.
Some thoughts on Zaryazhko.
Although she won the prize of best blocker at the Montreaux 2013, if we check her record at National SL, Zarya (let's call her that way) actually never excelled in this element. To be honest, I think that, sometimes, her hesitation on the net looks even a bit amateurish. Her real strength, as we all know, lies on the attack. But, here, the questioning begins.
Last year there were a lot of talking about Marichev's implementing a “man's system” in the NT. It was manly due to the use of the MB's attacking on zone 3, just before the setter. But, let's also remember that, back then, Russia's first setter was Matienko, a player whose strong point seems to be exactly the setting to Z3. And Zarya profited the most from this, showing a fine tune with Matienko in this display from the start.
But the point is that, since Matienko's departure, the team is playing less in Z3 and using more the slides. So, looking in retrospect, it may well be that Marichev actually never intended to build a “man's game” as a matter of principle. He simply used it because he had a “man's style” setter at he's disposal in Matinenko's. As we all know, the coach needs to build his team out of it's setter. The other way round would be like hold the tail to wag the dog.
So, returning to Zarya, Matienko's absence seems to have played the worst impact on her. Zarya actually never showed a good understanding with Kosyanenko. Kosya's (let's brief her name too) sets are too short for Zarya, whose spike efficiency lies mainly on her reach. Plus, Kosya hasn't a great timing to Z3 anyway, which also impacts negatively on Zarya's performance. On the other hand, in the latter games, Marichev is signaling more and more to be loosing confidence in Zarya's capabilities as a blocker.
So, with all this in mind, I believe that the middle term permanence of Zarya in the team will lie upon 2 points: first, her improvement in blocking. Second, getting a fine tune with Starseva as soon as possible.
Finally, Marichev values diversity of style in the roster, so, as Zarya is different from all the other competitors in the position, it may also guarantee her place in the team.
Some thoughts on the Russian performance against Brazil in the 2º round of the WGP.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to follow the discussions at the Grand Prix thread. So, sorry if I get repetitive here.
First, a short a note about the game against USA: I found the Russian team, above all, unfocused. Maybe the victory in the previous week have lessen their eagerness to win the match. Or, more likely, the girls were facing USA already with the game against Brazil in mind.
On the clash against Brazil, I find important to remember one point. In Marichev's era, Russia first team and Brazil first's have never faced each other. And, as we know, it didn't happened this Saturday either, with the crucial absences of Nastya S., Morozova and Gamova. Plus, is also worth remember that, while Brazil is already in full swing, Russia is still working to reach its best shape, both physically and technically.
So, analysing the team as a work in progress, instead of something static, I believe that, with it full roster and well prepared, Russia can really challenge Brazil. As I see it, the seeds are there.
As we saw specially at the second set, the defense worked well against the Brazilian attack, just as it did in the game at the WGCC. The problem, now and then, was that Russia was unable to kill their counterattacks. In the WGCC it was due to the lack of firepower – only Malykh was effective then. In this Saturday, it was due to the physical and technical oscillation of the spikers. While Goncharova rose her level a bit compared to last week, Kosha dropped hers. But, I repeat, at this moment, it is normal.
Btw, Russia only lost the 2º set due to Marichev's insistence in keeping Startseva on the court in the double changing, in despite of her disastrous performance.
Also worth noticing is how the Russian serve managed to destabilize the Brazilian reception in many occasions. It is essential to the effectiveness of the Russian block and, ultimately, to the entire system of the team. Plus, with the vital additions of Nastya S. and Morozova, Fabiana and Thaisa will have a much harder time.
On the other hand, let's also remember that, contrary to the games against USA, the Russian well known fragility in reception has not been a key element in the recent defeats to Brazil.
So I believe that Russia is showing signs that they are working on the right route to beat Brazil. The question is that, against a team so experienced and organized as Brazil, if you don't keep your pace, you'll inevitably loose. In the right time, though, the victory will happen.
Pasynkova is a lost case. To me, the only open question is for how long she'll stay in the team.
The best option to be Kosha's companion is definitively Scherban. She's far from outstanding, but I don't believe that Chaplina will recover in time, and Sokolova is no longer an real option.
We'll have to be patient with Startseva. As Mathias wrote here before, she's a good player, but really insecure. So, until she get's full confidence with the system and the players, she'll not deliver her best.
And Zaryazhko, finally, disclosed her game. I think that her performance against Brazil guaranteed her presence in the roster for the WCH.
With the last two defeats, Russia is probably out of the final round of the WGP. But, as I wrote here before, I actually find it very good. The sooner the team gathers to prepare for the WCH, the better. Btw, Marichev said in a interview few days ago that Morozava is already training at Moscow, and that Gamova will join the practice sessions of the team in Kaliningrad this week.
Finally, I believe that Marichev's attitude so far in the tournament, frequently changing the players and sometimes insisting with combinations that are not working, is a clear signal that he's not thinking about win the WGP, but only using it to prepare the players and make conclusions about the team.
Interesting piece of information about Gamova's return
( http://www.melhordovolei.com.b…-por-caminhao-de-dinheiro )
In an interview after Brazil's crushing victory over Russia, coach Zé Roberto Guimarães declared that Gamova's return to WCH is due to money; the Russian Federation would have offered a great deal of money to the player. Sokolova has not yet accepted.
"I was talking to Sokolova and she said she would not be back. It would depend on the money offered for her return. I know that, to Gamova, it was offered a truckload of money. That's how they are trying to get those players back", guaranteed Brazilian head coach.
Marichev announced that Gamova and Obmochaeva will play together. Obomochaeva will be OH. He also said that the former two, plus kosheleva, make the most powerful attacking trio in the world.
Link: http://volleyball.sport-express.ru/reviews/47580/
Marichev announced that Gamova and Obmochaeva will play together. Obomochaeva will be OH. He also said that the former two, plus kosheleva, make the most powerful attacking trio in the world.
Link: http://volleyball.sport-express.ru/reviews/47580/
Gamova-Obmochaeva-Kosheleva trio gives so much power in terms of spiking, but then it will be a mess in reception, so it's still an insane idea IMHO 
Kryuchkova and Kosheleva as two receivers may end up with problems, because I doubt that Obmochaeva will get an area for receiving or it'll be very little. In this case I want Kutyukova back as receiver at least... or even Sokolova can be useful 
Shcherban, Kosheleva and Pasynkova may not deal with it 
Still trying to digest the news about Obmochaeva playing as receiver.
First, I believe that the WGP has shown that the 2º OH position is the real black hole of this team.
Chaplina and Kutiukova are injured (and, let's be honest, they are not spectacular.) Pasynkova and Scherban, on the other hand, are proving terrible in the WGP. They combine instability in reception with lack of attack power. And the team pays a high price for having just 2 really effective attacking options. It was particularly clear in the game against Brazil.
Btw, Kosheleva is the best receiver of team so far. OK, it shows that Kosha is improving in reception. But it also shows how bad are the other's OH's. So, if Obmochaeva manages to achieve at least the same level as Pasynkova or Scherban in reception, her power in attack will certainly give the 3º alternative the team needs.
The open question is if Obmochaeva will deliver. Her performance in London wasn't brilliant, but I remember that, checking the statistics of Russian SL, I found her record in reception fairly decent. It was a long time since she stopped to receive, though. So, we'll have to wait and see.
On the other hand, I don't think that playing with the trio Goncha-Kosha-Gamova will necessarily mean a return to the tactical dark ages of “only long balls to the outsides”. There are many positive alternatives that can spring out of it. With a tuned combination of serve-block-defense, the team can get a lot of direct points with the block, as well as defend and confirm their counterattacks. Plus, the MB's are more active now too.
In sum, It was totally unexpected to me, but, if we think for a while, it makes sense, and also looks exciting.
If there is no reception, Morozova and Shlyakhovaya will be wasted. It is true russian MBs are more active than in the past, however, they need at least decent reception in order to be activated. Otherwise, the set to the middles or slide attacks will be too predictable. Malova is doing a nice job in defense, so Russia can counterattack, in this case with the MBs.
However the big problem is the reception. Malova/Kryuchkova arent good passers. And now they will have more responsabilities trying to cover Obmochaeva.
With problems in reception continuing, this is when the team really misses Kutyukova. With that, I won't be surprised if Sokolova will be called back to the team although having her and Gamova together on court makes the team too old for my taste. If ever Sokolova returns, the best she can help the team is strengthen the reception and defense and leave the scoring duties to Gamova, Obmochaeva, Kosheleva and Malykh.
Unless Marichev will do a kuzyutkin
the MB's will have to receive like what they did back in 2009
btw Morozova was one of the MB's that have pretty good recepetion
I was correct then that Marichev will let Obmochaeva play as OH I watched a replay of the London OG, and let me say this again, she was quite effective in her role as outside hitter. I think that game is the closest representation we can have when Russia faces Brazil again in the WCH this year. Brazil basically will be having the same lineup, so the only changes we will be seeing will be from Russian roster.
If ever Sokolova will rejoin the team, I agree with bibetron's post that she can mainly play as receiver/defender in the back line to stabilize the reception, alternatively if Sokolova does not join, this role can go to Kutyukova (same as Estes in London, she was subbed when it was her turn to be in the front row). Back in London the rotation looks something like this: Obmochaeva-Borodakova-Gamova in the front row (w/ Sokolova as 2nd OH), the only obvious change now to this rotation is for the MB spot: Marichev will now have three better options in: Morozova, Shlayakovaya, Zaryazkho. So looking at it, Russia's roster for the WCH seems an improvement from London 2012.
EDIT: The only change in the Brazilian side will be Camilla Brait filling in for Fabi as libero. But based on this year's WGP matches, this really isn't a disadvantage.