Men's World Championship 2018

    The fact Mikhaylov is the best right and left side attacker of Russia makes me want to laugh. :lol:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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    Anderson is not playing well but his serve is just something you cannot miss in crucial moments.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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    At least they won 1M in VNL...

    Great fight for Russia. They battled til the end. Must be fatigue coming in after all the tiebreak they played in this tournament


    Congrats to USA for the win and also Brazil for qualifying to the semi-final.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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    Oh yeah! USA Team :heart:


    Very bad idea for Russia and France picking up in july for the useless World Nations League: they sucked both phisically and athletically in this World Championship. And the most ironic part is that they won VNL with a mixed A/B team. No Verbov (best russian player in this tournament), no Butko, no Grankin, no Kurkaev. :whistle:

    Wow, wonderful USA! What a performance! Christenson is my personal MVP but it's a tough one.


    I expected them to win but not in just 3 sets.


    So Russia out, Brazil and USA in.


    Now I'm crossing my fingers for a present from Serbia, but I'm not that optimistic since they don't really need to win the match (1 set is enough to pass), so they may get a bit less aggressive if/once they secure the semi. Obviously I hope I'm wrong, and I hope they really want the first place ;)


    Ps I still prefer Butko... and I'm sorry for Volkov, I really like him.

    I hope Pankov gets the call next year.


    I feel sorry for Kovalev on not making this wch when he deserves it more than Grankin but Pankov has more potential to become the best russian setter of this generation.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


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    I wouldn't be so sure... Of course the best Italy is a bad client, but we're rarely paying our best at the moment.


    Anyway, in case I would actually prefer to meet Brazil: in topic matches we have a quite good tradition vs USA, and a very poor one vs Brazil. Of course tradition doesn't win/lose matches, and of course the exception confirm there 'rule', but still... ;)

    Mikhaylov will be 34 next WCH and out of his prime years and Russia needs to find their next opposite. I'm afraid Poleatev is just not that guy and Russia needs to groom his heir apparent starting next year

    If we look at history, then the only SF that would do Italy any good would be the USA, which is (on paper) the only team we're not mortally afraid to play against and never start already beaten against.

    Though who are we kidding, this Italy would be lucky to scrape past a tiebreak win for a bronze against any of the current semifinalists.