2017 FIVB World League

  • Canada killed Belgium with their serve during the whole game, and Van de Voorde killed Canada in the end with his serve.


    I really like Canada and Belgium, During the whole tournament they have been playing with high energy and giving everything they have, I would not mind both of them in the finals, Italy has been playing like S$@$$#, hopefully they play like that against both of them and both can grab 1 more win at least.

  • Heynen show :cheesy:

  • Bulgaria is not playing with their starters. :huh:


    If they won`t play to win, why did they even fly all the way to Argentina?


    Brazil already on a 8-0 run.


    FIVB should consider that and exclude them and teams that does this kind of thing, at least Japan and China would play to win and give their best if they were playing against Brazil.


    No wondering why Bulgaria and some of these small countries never win anything.


    I already can see Russia letting the USA and Iran win this weekend.


    How pathetic ...I don`t even feel like watching this game, and I was so excited to watch. :(

  • Bulgaria is not playing with their starters. :huh:


    This was known after the previous round already. They know they can't beat Brasil anyway, so they are resting Sokolov, Penchev and so on in order for them to be fresh for the next 2 games. Against Serbia they will play with best players and depending on the outcome they will decide which players will play against Argentina.

  • Bulgaria has only 3 wins, they need 3 more and reach 6 to reach the finals. With 5 wins, it is not guarantee they would make it.


    Still makes no sense, what one game more makes to your body? Bulgaria did not even play at the World Cup or Olympics or any WL Final, and their season was not even long, once mostly of them does not play in Strong Leagues or High level Clubs besides Sokolov. I dont why they cant play 3 games in a row.
    Look at Brazil, they just won the Olympics and they are not resting.


    Hopefully Bulgaria will loose for Serbia as well.


    This was known after the previous round already. They know they can't beat Brasil anyway, so they are resting Sokolov, Penchev and so on in order for them to be fresh for the next 2 games. Against Serbia they will play with best players and depending on the outcome they will decide which players will play against Argentina.

  • @rbdfabio


    I agree with you. Bulgaria played pretty bad during whole WL and don't deserve to go to the final round. But coach Konstantinov thinks differently and decided to keep best players fresh for the next two games and use scrubs today which for me is disrespectful to Brasil. Anyway, I think Bulgaria will lose both against Serbia and Argentina no matter which players they use.

  • Did u ever heard on jet-leg? Bulgarians came as the last team in Cordoba. They were having big difficulties last 2 days so I fully understand Konstantinov. If Serbia wins today they are securing F6 spot so there might be chance for Bulgaria tmrw

  • lolololo so much trolling in one post :D I don't even know where to start from. But when Brazil does the same during a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, a much bigger and important stage, then you're fine, right? :) Double standards, I presume. Who cares if you play the World League with the neighborhood buddies or with the starters?


    The reference to the country size and their success I will skip and pretend I didn't read, probably written in emotional outburst.


    The journey to Argentina started on Tuesday and lasted 30 hours. You do the math if you are good at it in your "bigger" country. Don't forget the time zone difference. Chances are they won't be fresh for the entire 3 days, I wouldn't mind that funny match against Brazil's A team. The Brazilians were pissed for what? The game is theirs to take, they weren't robbed of points or something. Let's see if a supposedly qualified Serbia will also play with the best they have, provided that they didn't save the trip. But don't worry, Bulgaria's wins won't be enough to guarantee them a place in the finals, so I don't get the criticism towards a friendly match in a more or less friendly tournament. Regarding the season's length. A season is almost equally spread in time across Europe. What's the difference if you play in Turkey, Poland, or Bulgaria? Besides, those getting their money in Russia will have a thing to say here. True, Bulgaria didn't participate in most important events in the past two seasons, but we also don't have the Brazilian, Russian, Polish or US selection of players. NT players have little break and that's a fact for most nationalities. Anyway, it isn't about whether they will die if they play 3 matches in a row, but rather keeping them fresh when it matters.


    As I said, relax, they aren't good enough to make it to the finals or to leave a mark there.

  • YavorD


    I was actually rooting for Bulgaria to win these 3 games and qualify for the final round. But how can I root for them if they don`t even want to play because they don`t think they can win? How about if you just try? it is ok to loose for Brazil, but at least u should just try.


    The season was long for everyone, so how come the Brazilians can play all 9 games plus the finals? And last summer they were busy at the WL finals and OG, Bulgaria was just resting while Brazil was playing.


    The Trip is long from Bulgaria to Argentina? Well, the trip was long for Brazil also, remember they were just in Bulgaria? And why did they leave only on Tuesday instead of monday?


    I disagree with you, I do believe they are good enough to make the finals and good enough to make a mark there. Look at the standings and you will see almost everyone is tied in wins.


    See I believe more in your team than you do. :)


    just look at how close the 3rd set was.

  • I found some logic behind Konstantinov's choice, but not entirely, to be honest. I just wanted to stress out that it's not a super big deal when the tournament is not THAT important anyway. Technically speaking, the only really weird decision to me was replacing the decent Zhelyazkov (let's ignore these first 12 points of the match) with Sokolov who once more showed he didn't approach a match correctly and wasn't reliable. I am sorry to say that but despite him having good games in his career, both on club and NT level, the guy is a bit overrated. He can't serve, after all, just to start with. Yes, I would have played to win instead, the team had kind of accepted that defeat which is exactly where Konstantinov will have opponents. I would have seen how the first two sets would go, for instance, and eventually then play with the bench, but that's me. If he still manages to qualify the team for Curitiba, then the criticism would surely be reduced. By the way, the match only "seemed" close at the end because Brazil's rhythm was almost gone. It was a friendly match indeed.


    Regarding the journey and the number of games. Has everyone from the Brazilian team played till now? No. Did everyone travel to Europe? Most of them, but not all. Wallace, a very key player, didn't, for example. The nature of preparation for those games is also different when you know you would be in the finals at home one way or another, so team Brazil and their line-ups could actually "enjoy" those matches. Now, whether they should've indeed rested most players and played with the B or C team is their own choice. You mentioned Dal Zotto's desire to prove himself, we'll see if Brazil will be fresh enough for the finals. Or whether their Olympic plan would work by playing with the old guys all the time everywhere, for example. This is why a comparison between two teams and how one does what the other doesn't is, to me, not applicable.


    I looked at the standings and I watched some teams experiment. The standings doesn't give me the full picture :) The two teams in better shape right now and with most/all known players are somewhere on top (France and Serbia). The rest are trying stuff and are still ahead of/around Bulgaria which is playing with the best it has. It doesn't put Konstantinov and the NT on a good basis, to be fair. The only more valuable win they scored was against Poland because Poland played with the first team. The one I would've also enjoyed would be against Argentina, but as we know, we lost it. France was better, Canada not much really but took advantage of their chances, even the young Russians almost beat Bulgaria. There are better teams that will make more effort in Curitiba at the moment and I am fine with that.

  • Well, maybe Bulgaria`s plan could pay off, Serbia grab the win against Argentina, but it was a very long 5 sets. Which means tomorrow Serbia might be a little tired and they will play the earlier game, and might need help from the bench.


    Does anyone knows why Atanajesevic is not with the team in Argentina? Did he he get cut? is he injured? If yes, it can not be anything serious cuz he would not be able to go party with Vasileva.

  • Well, maybe Bulgaria`s plan could pay off, Serbia grab the win against Argentina, but it was a very long 5 sets. Which means tomorrow Serbia might be a little tired and they will play the earlier game, and might need help from the bench.


    Does anyone knows why Atanajesevic is not with the team in Argentina? Did he he get cut? is he injured? If yes, it can not be anything serious cuz he would not be able to go party with Vasileva.


    Atanasijević and Petrić are being rested for ECH while Brđović is injured but he should be ready for ECH

  • Luburic is becoming hotter everyday. :kiss:


    I think they're training Drazen right now. Starovic isn't really becoming a good option for serbia anymore plus Jovovic's distribution is greater when he's inside the court

    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


    #FreeBritney

  • Luburić is a great player with huge space for improvement. IMO he is better than Atanasijević or better to say he is more reliable in close moments :whistle: althought he made mistake by joining JT Thunders last season :aww:

  • Really impressed with China. Seems like a good developing team to me.

    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


    #FreeBritney