Russian NT 2016

With the recent concluded matches from the CEV/Champions League, below are my observations with Rio olympics in mind:
- Sokolova is a shadow from the player she was in 2012, it seems her attack suffered the most decline but that is understandable due to her age; she can still help in reception but not as solid as before; Shcherban can take her role as defensive OH
- Shlyakhovaya had a great performance during the CEV Finals matches, it seems she finally recovered her injury and looks to complete the 3 MB slots in Rio together with Zaryazkho and Fetisova; she is a good middle ground between the two in terms of offense/defense (thankfully no Lyubushkina who is a real liability in blocking!); Marichev would be stupid if Natsya doesn't get that 3rd MB slot
- Sasha Pasynkova's game has turned out for the worse both in reception and attack; but as evident in the Finals game, she is still a consistently good server and that may be her only saving grace to get a slot in Rio; Hodunova can take this role but to be honest, I don't see anything special in her and Sasha is arguably better both in serve and block
- Malykh had one of her best games in a long time, but sadly, even with her stellar performance during the second match of the Finals, she will never be starting OPP which leads me to my next point below
- The battle between Goncharova and Gamova as staring OPP returns! Natasha is having her best volleyball career right now, while Gamova is slowly showing her old form better than in 2014; with that said, I would still prefer Goncha as starting OPP (Gamova can be 2nd offensive OH next to Kosheleva in case the latter gets injured, and besides Gamova attacks better in Pos. 4 anyway)
- With Kosianenko underperforming, Startseva is my 1st setter by a long shot; in my opinion, no setter is better in blocking AND serving than her; Malykh has a better connection with Kosianenko anyway when the double sub is used and zero connection with Startseva lol

So my 12-player roster would look like this:

S: Startseva, Kosianenko
OPP: Goncharova, Malykh
MB: Fetisova, Zaryazkho, Shlyakhovaya
OH: Kosheleva, Shcherban, Gamova, Pasynkova
L: Malova

With the Koshe/Goncha duo providing the offensive firepower (along with Gamova), and with their block/defense slowly returning to ECH '13 form, Russia looks like a complete team to me; Shcherban will be the "X-factor" and when she delivers, Russia will be one of the teams to beat in Rio

Agreed. Despite her weakness in attack, Sasha Pasynkova will still be helpful in terms of serving and she once again proved that during the finals of CEV Cup. And I don't think Russia needs another strong hitters anyway, they already have more than three killers and nobody expects Sasha to kill all the balls. Sokolova on the other hand is just done as a player and I think I've been saying it for many times, she barely jumps and can't contribute in reception part anymore, so if she gets a call, it will be fairer to call Artamonova back as well As for Khodunova, she's just out of the picture. Bavykina and Kutiukova are apparently also out of Marichev's future decision.

I was amazed by Samolyenko(Shlyakhovaya)'s outstanding performance, she now seems more confident when she hits and does her job very well both in attack and block. Besides, she can be a dangerous server too, a lot better than Lyubushkina and Orlova in every single aspect.

My doubt is that if Marichev will bring another libero aside from Malova who has ensured a spot in NT and if there must be one more player, I hope it will be Kryuchkova, other than that I'd bring the players you mentioned above. Scherban definitely will be the real key of the team. If she stands all the pressures and does her job, Russia can for sure be a badass, other than that Startseva will have a terrible day and play a very typical Russian volleyball.

Yes, Sokolova for ever and a day, even until she's 45 years old

It is way to early to talk about the roster for the olympic games. The starters seem to be set. Only the MB is not decided as long as all the players are healthy.
The main problem for Russia is the reception and the lack of quality in the second setter (Startseva as starter). For the substitute OH we will see how they do in the Grand Prix. At least Pasynkova, Voronkova, Ilchenko and Bavykina should be tested.
Still not sure about Gamova... I like Stolyarova if only for her serve...

Quote from Emil

I was amazed by Samolyenko(Shlyakhovaya)'s outstanding performance, she now seems more confident when she hits and does her job very well both in attack and block. Besides, she can be a dangerous server too, a lot better than Lyubushkina and Orlova in every single aspect.

Liubishkina is a better slider and server than Samolyenko

Quote from USAvolleyfan

Liubishkina is a better slider and server than Samolyenko

But Shlyakhovaya is a FAR better blocker than Lyubushkina.. and that is more important since Russia's middle attacks constitute like 5% of their offense. You should watch Russia's games where the opponents' middles have a field day esp when attacking in front of the setter in Pos. 3 because the block is non-existent (and I'm not even talking of an "actual block", even the block touches are zero). That is why even a typically non-scoring MB such as Fetisova is a necessity in Russia's system.

I have no doubt that Zaryazhko and Shlyakhovaya are the best Russian MB duo in last six years.

Quote from inc0gnito

But Shlyakhovaya is a FAR better blocker than Lyubushkina.. and that is more important since Russia's middle attacks constitute like 5% of their offense. You should watch Russia's games where the opponents' middles have a field day esp when attacking in front of the setter in Pos. 3 because the block is non-existent (and I'm not even talking of an "actual block", even the block touches are zero). That is why even a typically non-scoring MB such as Fetisova is a necessity in Russia's system.

I also think Samoylenko, Zaryazhko and Fetisova should be the main 3 MBs. I just referred to Emil's statement that Samoylenko is better in every aspect than Liubushkina. And I agree that Anastasia is much better for Russian style.. I would like to see Morozova, she deserves to play at the Olympics but it's unlikely to happen with her current form

No, she's not a better server than Nastya. Her serves look ordinary but make troubles for the receivers. Lyubushkina runs fast but her slides get dug very easily. Still though, she's solid but not for the level for a team seeking for an Olympic medal.

Quote from ignorans

It is way to early to talk about the roster for the olympic games. The starters seem to be set. Only the MB is not decided as long as all the players are healthy.
The main problem for Russia is the reception and the lack of quality in the second setter (Startseva as starter). For the substitute OH we will see how they do in the Grand Prix. At least Pasynkova, Voronkova, Ilchenko and Bavykina should be tested.
Still not sure about Gamova... I like Stolyarova if only for her serve...

Did she get divorced? She seems to be using her maiden name nowadays.

Of course. I bet they'll be in the list for 2020 as well...

I'm ok with Gamova, she's still performing on a high level, but Sokolova is a walkind dead on court.

Ever since Karpol stopped producing star players, Russian volleyball has been going downhill. Gamova and Sokolova are the last Karpol players and it seems they want to keep them as long as possible. The only real star Russian volleyball has produced in the post-Karpol era is Kosheleva (not counting Goncharova because she's actually Ukrainian).

Alright, let's be real here.

Lyuba was an amazing player, she was so good in every volleyball aspect from attack to basic defense, however time has flown by and now she's just playing for money and even she herself knows it. As cruel as it sounds, obviously not on her purpose but she's defining why star players have to know when to leave and retire gracefully.

Quote from Matthias

Of course. I bet they'll be in the list for 2020 as well...

I'm ok with Gamova, she's still performing on a high level, but Sokolova is a walkind dead on court.

Ever since Karpol stopped producing star players, Russian volleyball has been going downhill. Gamova and Sokolova are the last Karpol players and it seems they want to keep them as long as possible. The only real star Russian volleyball has produced in the post-Karpol era is Kosheleva (not counting Goncharova because she's actually Ukrainian).

Rare case when I disagree with every point.

1. Gamova may indeed help at the OG but this may backfire. Unless Marichev manages to get the middle attack work with Gamova on court.

2. Karpol still "produces" decent players, just as he did 20 years ago. Gamova and Sokolova came to him as already very promising players, Karpol did NOT create them, although he definitely helped. One of them was playing in Chelyabinsk, the other one in Moscow.

3. Karpol used to have a monopoly for using young perspective players, with Uralochka being a sole battle-ready outfit in the League. Things have changed. Karpol is not a girls coach and neither he is a scout.

4. Goncharova is as much a Ukrainian as Angelina Gruen is a Tajik. After this, there is no such thing as Ukrainian school of volleyball, there was a Soviet one that was still in place in Ukraine back in 1990s. The Ukrainian Ukrainians in the Superleague (Taras Khtey, Pavel Moroz, Marina (Masiuk) Maryukhnich, Anna (Tsokur) Makarova) are the fruits of the latter but definitely not of some local independent institution. Btw, Karpol himself is not a native of Ekaterinburgh, dare I reminding.

Always the same comments when " Sokolova returns " news appears. Yeah she isnt as good as before, but lets see the fact that there isnt any world class or very promising Russian player being out of the roster because of her. I would still prefer Sokolova rather than Hodunova or Paaynkova

Quote from powsoff

(...)

1. How may Gamova being in the team backfire?
2. Sure Karpol still does very good work, just look at Zaryazhko's and Jack's development under his guidance. But then, in the past he used to "create" (maybe "develop" is a better word?) big hitters such as Artamonova, Godina, Gamova, Sokolova etc., but ever since he's no longer NT coach, Uralochka hasn't delivered a strong OH anymore. Pasynkova was on the way to be one but injuries took her out too much in her earlier years, as far as I remember she couldn't even attack for over a year due to a serious shoulder injury in her early 20s.
3. Yes, sure things have changed, there's no denying. Again, I was just sharing my observations about Russian players in the last years.
4. I disagree here. Angelina Grün was born in Tajikistan, right, but I mentioned Goncharova being Ukrainian because she even played for Ukraine NT before. If Ukrainian volleyball was better organised, she might have never played for Russia. In this case there would be no letting go of Gamova at all, or Russia would have to go along with Malykh and Isaeva as OPPs who are for sure very good players but IMO not players with whom you are going to win an Olympic gold.

Quote from Matthias

1. How may Gamova being in the team backfire?

She is a player whom it is very politically hard to keep on the bench => the coach automatically gets less control over the course of the events. Secondly, she performs well only when she is the main attacker. Thirdly, teams with Gamova tend to play a more primitive game. Russia needs to involve the middle attackers more to compete with OK teams. Yes, in Europe they can play as they do, but where is Europe.

Quote from Matthias

2. Sure Karpol still does very good work, just look at Zaryazhko's and Jack's development under his guidance. But then, in the past he used to "create" (maybe "develop" is a better word?) big hitters such as Artamonova, Godina, Gamova, Sokolova etc., but ever since he's no longer NT coach, Uralochka hasn't delivered a strong OH anymore. Pasynkova was on the way to be one but injuries took her out too much in her earlier years, as far as I remember she couldn't even attack for over a year due to a serious shoulder injury in her early 20s.

One can recall the Dutch NT story from mid 1990-s and compare that to the success of Karpol's Uralochka. Another comparison is the USSR ice hockey squad, which had 75% of CSKA players back in 1980s. Yes, these are the cases when the NT gains a lot from people playing together. But then how competitive your domestic league is going to be?

Quote from Matthias

4. I disagree here. Angelina Grün was born in Tajikistan, right, but I mentioned Goncharova being Ukrainian because she even played for Ukraine NT before. If Ukrainian volleyball was better organised, she might have never played for Russia. In this case there would be no letting go of Gamova at all, or Russia would have to go along with Malykh and Isaeva as OPPs who are for sure very good players but IMO not players with whom you are going to win an Olympic gold.

Had the Tajik volleyball been better organised... Had the Oma had ****s, we would have called her Opa, a Rus proverb says :). Ukr volleyball has never been organised, just like most of things in that god forsaken land (exclusions: football, biathlon, track-and-field). They just scavenge on what has remained from Soviet system. I would say, they have disproportionately lots of cash in football and too little is left for anything else.

Grun and Goncharova are hardly the same case. Grun was among many German people leaving USSR for the land of their ancestors in search of a better life, it had nothing to do with volleyball, in fact, had she stayed in Tajikistan, it's doubtful she'd even start playing it in the first place. Goncharova on the other hand came to Russia solely so she could further her volleyball career as Ukrainian sports system is mostly a mess. Still, she's lived in Russia since she was 18, so it could be argued that she's as much a product of Russian volleyball as she is of Ukrainian.

Quote from JoanaBG

Grun and Goncharova are hardly the same case. Grun was among many German people leaving USSR for the land of their ancestors in search of a better life, it had nothing to do with volleyball, in fact, had she stayed in Tajikistan, it's doubtful she'd even start playing it in the first place. Goncharova on the other hand came to Russia solely so she could further her volleyball career as Ukrainian sports system is mostly a mess. Still, she's lived in Russia since she was 18, so it could be argued that she's as much a product of Russian volleyball as she is of Ukrainian.

Just to complete the picture (and then finish the off-topic), Grün came to Germany when she was a little kid, as far as I remember she was something like two or three years old when her family moved over here. So her and Goncharova are totally not comparable.