2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League


  • Netherlands have two difficult matches in Stuttgart against China and Turkey, but kind of free lunch against feeble hosts Germany.

  • Serbian setters distributed poorly against Dutch team. Tijana got 74 swings,second is Milenkovic with 25 ones!!!.(if the stats are accurate ??) .this shows the imbalance of ball distribution in Serbian team when Mihajlovic is absent. im also worried about Tijana's(arm) health. considering she spikes around 90-104 km/h

  • Netherlands have two difficult matches in Stuttgart against China and Turkey, but kind of free lunch against feeble hosts Germany.

    I think the only uncertainty is the Chinese team. If they let ZHU rest, then it will be much easier for NED to win. If they only send young players to compete, then even GER has the chance to win them. Anyway, the first match NED vs TUR is crucial for both teams.

  • Can we say NED's B Team just beat Serbia? :P


    I know Brankica wasn't playing but there were a lot of "A Team" NED talents not on the floor at the end of that match.

    Not really. I mean Sloetjes and Dijkema did play the match, they just underperformed so were replaced. It was probably Holland’s strongest starting 6 other than De Kruijf’s absence.



    Congrats to Netherlands for a great fight, but Serbia’s form is worrying ahead of the WCH. Obviously the absence of Mihajlovic changes their game quite a lot but it just goes to show how important it is to have both her and Boskovic playing and a major injury to either one would be a disaster for the team. I remember when Mihajlovic got injured in the 2013 ECH. It was a disaster then and it would be again now.


    Last year I was surprised that it seemed they didn’t really miss Ognjenovic much at all, but now the setters look really bad and you can really see the difference she made to the team. One of them really needs to step up.


  • agree. Ajcharaporn is explosive


    Japan hasn't been fun to watch . even their smackdown of korea was mostly because Korea just sucked


    you are going to love this tha v jpn replay


    It's not like Japan are the favourites. In the last quad South Korea defeated Japan with a stronger team than they have now. It's very complicated. South Korea playing terribly doesn't mean Japan didn't do their job forcing South Korea to play terribly.


    I also disagree with explosiveness which makes the thailand better than Japan right now. You shouldn't depend on power alone. You have to take into consideration how small-ish the block of Japan has become compared to their better days. The offensive system of the thailand team is more adventurous but also prone to mistakes. Japan's discipline is probably an envy to all nations. It's difficult to duplicate if your defense can't frustrate your opponents... You have to have the control of aggressiveness to play like the Japanese players and while it affects the power, taking the smart shots gives Japan the edge as Thailand exhausted their offensive strategies which puts them at risk to being scouted.


    ...while Japan is really good at the defense, Thailand is better at three hit rallies but... if the block is prepared for the attack, then the thailand attackers have no way to go but to forcibly open the block or tip the ball that can be easily dug.


    I like both systems but Japan knows the intangibles of victories by taking the essentials of how the weak can stand against the strong. Thailand players still have to learn it the hard way. Japan is a master of winning against the best teams... it's all about leveling the field where physical advantage is mostly gone because of fatigue and the team with the most mental strength to outlast the team usually winning it by sheer determination and superior defensive feats.

    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

  • Serbia pretty much has an open path to the F6 with the matches against Argentina and KYK-less Korea, but I'm so pissed off right now that I almost wish they don't make it. Yes, Brankica's absence was a big blow, but both matches were extremely winnable even without her. It's so frustrating how unclutch they have become lately. And that lazy ass attitude, with not even half the grit ITA and NED have shown.

  • i wish Thailand had won over Japan...i didnt get why They couldnt win against Korea which hasnt been playing well..this shows that Japan is still better than other two.


    Thai Moksri is a promising player ( 18-yo ,178cm)
    Ajcharaporn is a good player
    i liked second setter Pornpun as well

  • It is said that Buijs was injured during the warm-up on Tuesday, and Daalderop is also injured (not recovered or injured again?). If so, it can explain why neither were on court in last two matches and why Anne's performance was very poor today.

  • NED vs TUR will be very interesting in many ways.


    This!!! For me this is the match of the tournament. Dutch girls and Turkish haven't played a single match yet since Guidetti left them, this will be ultimate drama material. Dutch girls I'm sure will show a ton of aggression and will do whatever it takes to win, Gio will want to bring his best team on court and the Turkish will fight a lot as well. I just hope they won't take it too far... But surely there will be many screams, power spikes, big blocks and drama in that match. Cant wait :dance6:

  • Brankica is out for the rest of the VLN, so I'm not sure what Terzić's plan is going to be now. Chasing a medal at the F6 seems like a long shot and perhaps it would be for the best not to kill oneself over it and instead try out as many players and options as possible.

  • Quoted from "sitenoise"
    Can we say NED's B Team just beat Serbia? :P


    I know Brankica wasn't playing but there were a lot of "A Team" NED talents not on the floor at the end of that match.


    Not really. I mean Sloetjes and Dijkema did play the match, they just underperformed so were replaced. It was probably Holland’s strongest starting 6 other than De Kruijf’s absence.


    There ya go again, trying to be reasonable and fair :hit:


    I've said it before, I'll say it again: If you can only win with your 6 best players you don't have a team.


    For whatever reason: injury, under-performing, irritable bowel syndrome, whatever, if you have to throw in the towel if one of those things happens to your chosen few ...


    Kudos to #7 Juliet Lohuis. I've never heard that name before--three aces, four blocks during the cleanup. Lots of hustle.


    Another thing about this particular NED v SER match is the fact that SER didn't just win the first two sets, they looked downright scary doing it. The psychological strength to come off the bench and not worry about that, and win the match--that just impresses the heck out of me.

  • Netherlands has made an increddible comeback today :obey::obey:
    IMO Morrison should choose Lohuis and even Polder instead of Koolhaas.. she is just not good enough for this team and level.
    So the four MB's at WCH should be De Kruijf and Belien, and Lohuis and Polder as subsitute.


    The game vs. Turkey will be very very interesting, especially since Guidetti is their coach now. The Dutch will do anything to take the win and show that Guidetti made the wrong decision with leaving them in such a way:huh:

  • Hey, where is Russia's Scherban (sp?)? I seem to recall she didn't play in one, or both, of the tournaments last year. I quite like her. Do they save her for the important stuff or is she not thought of highly by the Coaches?

  • Without Mihajlovic Serbia almost beat Italy/Netherlands ( without Folie/C.Bosetii/Robin)...


    The only team that is playing with 100% of its strength and the exactly roster that we will see at the WCH is USA....everyone ekse is either missing some key players, some are not fully healthy and some are trying a bunch of new players and different lineups. Soooo Serbia can still fight for a medal as long as they don`t fall in the same group with 2 of China/USA/BRA...because they can totally beat Turkey/Italy/NED and reach the semis.....


    Blagojevic got some terrible sets...but I still think she can only play if Mihajlovic is playing otherwise is better to have either Busa/Malesevic. Milenkovic should totally be kept as a starter....and hopefully the setters learn how to use the middles more and not overuse Boskovic.


    I don`t think Boskovic and Rasic needs to go to Argentina..( too bad Mina Popovic is injured) but Bjelica should be enough to beat Korea and Argentina.

    Brankica is out for the rest of the VLN, so I'm not sure what Terzić's plan is going to be now. Chasing a medal at the F6 seems like a long shot and perhaps it would be for the best not to kill oneself over it and instead try out as many players and options as possible.

  • Mostly of the Russian A team are not playing VNL... I don`t know why but I guess they are just resting and this give the change to try out new players and see what they can do.

    Hey, where is Russia's Scherban (sp?)? I seem to recall she didn't play in one, or both, of the tournaments last year. I quite like her. Do they save her for the important stuff or is she not thought of highly by the Coaches?

  • According to current performance, I think netherlands can win over turkey. Then, group of final 6 in vnl: China,Serbia,netherlands for one group; Usa, brazil, turkey is another group! :teach:


    I bet usa will be the champion in vnl ,because they play with the compelete roster and no injury~~~ :teach:

  • Mostly of the Russian A team are not playing VNL... I don`t know why but I guess they are just resting and this give the change to try out new players and see what they can do.

    russia seems to have a good line up of OH now. Scherban, Voronkova, and Parubets. Goncharova still don't have a worthy back up.


    how about their setter? is Startseva going to be starter again? and please no Pankova. Russia is a mess with her on court.

  • hey Genius of the Sky have you gotten to the THA v JPN match?