Why does the USA need to wait almost 5 days for meanless match in Japan and travel to another city?
2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan
-
-
I'm sure that the 5th place match would be very interesting to the Japanese audience and fans.
I am also sure that it would be a fun game in terms of its contents for some neutral volleyball fans.
However, that match would be nearly a mental torture for the other team, especially as the reigning champion. USA women's team hasn't gathered too much happy memory in Japan, since 2010.
I wouldn't watch it.
-
That fifth place match is really useless, but I guess anything for the hosts right? I know I wont be staying up to watch it.
They better not try to include that also in Tokyo 2020.
They'd have to have a 5th-8th semifinal and 5th/6th place final since there's 4 teams. I highly doubt they can afford to put in 3 extra matches
-
they didn't have a 5th place match last time, but they did for the men (this year, they didn't do for the men). it's really weird.
just now catching up on some matches. just finished first set of ITA x SRB. people need to chill on pietrini, yes, her reception is bad but she's only 18. remember when sylla and egonu just started out? and today? even egonu can pass decently. and pietrini is showing way more promise than guerra.
also, whoever was complaining about danesi needs to wake up. not only is she blocking well, she's attacking really well when she gets a decent set.
degennaro not only sets really well (castillo needs to learn from her) but she often will bump-set a fast ball to the MB... she's done it quite a few times (to CC mostly).
what do you guys think about SRB's # 2 MB? i like them both but it seems stevanovic likes the back slide, whereas veljkovic doesn't.
in some ways, i think ITA might regret not winning this, i'd think they'd prefer to face NED than CHN. but who knows, maybe mazzanti will pull some trick from his sleeve...
this is with the english commentator with the reedy, weird voice, who pronounces Kri-Tchi-ella.
-
hmmm... so disappointed with these semis... i don't want SRB in the final. i still haven't forgiven them for their shady match against JPN, knocking BRA out. so i will consider the CHN x ITA the real final...
-
I just want to express how great has De Genaro been bump setting this WCH. She has always been a great setter, I even remember giving the MBs some balls.. but this tournament she sets the ball with such ease and so quick, the hitter always gets the timing right.. USA should watch and learn some stuff from her, setting fast in transition
It's amazing. As just one example, watch this cross court set to Sylla (queued up at 12-9):
Hmmm ... seems to be some big youtube outage relating to WCh vids
-
i just watched 3rd set of ITA x SRB. i thought busa played well... she killed the ball when she got set and her passing was good. i guess milenkovic is a better hitter?
the ITA girls must be tired. mazzanti pretty much has been using the same 7 starters. i don't think ortolani or the 2 reserve MBs have been used much...
-
Maybe Netherlands would have been a better matchup but at this point I'd rather go all or nothing and test our chances against China. We had such a long streak of lost matches against the Dutch, at least we never start a match already mentally defeated against the Chinese.
For some strange reason I have the feeling Italy will meet Serbia again, and not for the gold...who knows, we might witness the face of Terzic after his mind games blow up spectacularly right in his face.
I agree I would have played with the bench players today, but if every single team played useless matches with their starting 6 they must have a good reason.
-
CHN v ITL is such a complicated match to predict. That's why it's going to be fun. Then when it's over we'll all make pronouncements about it like it was obvious and we knew the outcome ahead of time.
-
vabo, i remember how NED humiliated ITA in euros 2017, but that was a very different ITA team... i mean, you know how they have improved... (but then RUS was also humiliated by TUR, which then was in turn humiliated by SRB...)
-
CHN v ITL is such a complicated match to predict. That's why it's going to be fun. Then when it's over we'll all make pronouncements about it like it was obvious and we knew the outcome ahead of time.
I have my 2 stories ready:
Italy wins: 'This young Italian team did everything great and no team came close to them so far. Egonu is out of this world right now, Chinese reception was weak and their level has been going downhill since 2016. They also lost first match, no surprise here...'
China wins: 'obviously the Olympic gold medalist were going to step up their game when it really matters. You can't beat a team like China 2x...'
Bring it on
(Netherlands beats Serbia: 'Honestly guys!?! Are u really surprised?? I saw this coming with Busa... Etc.)
-
someone (or two) made comments about how countries need to develop more black players like ITA is doing... really? is that the solution?
if that's the case, why are DOM and CUB such a mess? why hasn't BRA done that? why isn't AZE importing them by the dozen?
-
Don't want to be offensive, but I think they're speaking of countries that have the proper recourses to develop players in the first place. Not African countries, not the countries you mentioned. I mean Cuba f.e. we all know what a mess their federation is... They have good players actually.
Brazil afaik has black players now and has had them in the past...
Btw I don't think anyone says you should specifically develop black players, but certain countries which have a more diverse population could use that jn their favor, generally black people are more athletic and strong build. Physically a great advantage!
-
In 2002 when Germany hosted they played 5th-8th places semifinals and then the 2 winners played for 5th and losers for 7th place.....same thing in 2006-2010 plus semis and final for 9th-12th place.
Semi-Finals on a Friday afternoon?? Who`s the freaking idiot that set this up??? The arena will be empty for both semis...... They should be playing on Saturday and Sunday.
-
someone (or two) made comments about how countries need to develop more black players like ITA is doing... really? is that the solution?
if that's the case, why are DOM and CUB such a mess? why hasn't BRA done that? why isn't AZE importing them by the dozen?
Cuba is a mess because of their federation and politics. Otherwise, they would keep being a powerhouse (not so dominant as in the 90s, but still competitive).
I have just lost the count of the times they have changed squads in the last years. They have rebuilt teams from zero like 4 times since 2008. The script is like this: Build a good young team - players get offers from abroad - they quit from NT and wait 2 years for playing abroad - rebuild a team with young athletes - they turn into good players - players get offers from abroad - over and over again.
Sorry for the offtopic.
-
The betting quotes are clearly in favour of Serbian vs. Netherlands, but only slightly for China vs. Italy - the last one is really interesting, as beri wrote...
-
CHN v ITL is such a complicated match to predict. That's why it's going to be fun. Then when it's over we'll all make pronouncements about it like it was obvious and we knew the outcome ahead of time.
CALL IT HINDSIGHT SPECIALIST!! OR EVEN HINDSIGHT MASTER!! What differs then is how long the prose be written...
-
You guys are overestimating China, I see Italy being the clear favorite. China have a lot more weaknesses than Italy, unless they can suddenly up their service game, I don't see them winning over Italy.
I don't think so. Lang Ping is such a great coach and she always has something in her pocket. It is going to be a very close match. ITA might regret playing against China in the semis.
-
Cuba is a mess because of their federation and politics. Otherwise, they would keep being a powerhouse (not so dominant as in the 90s, but still competitive).
I have just lost the count of the times they have changed squads in the last years. They have rebuilt teams from zero like 4 times since 2008. The script is like this: Build a good young team - players get offers from abroad - they quit from NT and wait 2 years for playing abroad - rebuild a team with young athletes - they turn into good players - players get offers from abroad - over and over again.
Sorry for the offtopic.
It's just a typical case of poor countries having no means, no adequate resources or money to shield themselves from the braindrain, from the hijack! Pretty common reality.
-
Cheering for Italy and waiting for final against Serbia but this will be diffrent story, can't wait
