CEV Champions League 2019

    WCC 2019 VakifBank was about to give up their lead vs Praia and possibly get to a tb, which only would mean even more possible drama. But Cansu, Zehra and Esp. Ebrar Karakurt saved what could have been a disaster and they ended up winning for the whole team. Cansu Özbay was also the player that made the difference for the comeback vs EczV 2-0 20-10 f.e. there is many more examples. Eda Erdem in Fenerbahçe saving her team at golden set from 13-7 down another one.


    It's bizarre to expect other players to be on level of Zhu/Boskovic all the time because no one will or can be that for 90% of the times. These players get paid this amount and play in these teams BECAUSE they make the difference, otherwise they'd pay Zhu as much as Kelsey for example. And let's not forget volleyball is still a team sport, for the team to have a chance whatsoever players like Kelsey, Libero and usually also setter have to do all the 'dirty' work.

    Honestly there's nothing wrong with beri's English at all. I find all her posts easy to understand and she's also able to use humour and slang terms in a natural way as well. OK so maybe she's not native speaker level but who cares? I think all the regular users here have at least pretty good English so I don't really get why anyone is being criticised.

    Altinli Zhu does dirty work as well. For example in this game Kelsey received 42 balls while Zhu 28 and the libero 32.


    So to say a player is doing all the dirty work is only when a player a covering another. Like in the WCH Busa received 60 and 72 balls while Mihajlovic revived 5 at the most.


    This thing that Zhu can't pass and must be covered is not true at all. Zhukov haters are the ones that keep saying that because they want make Zhu look bad.


    Go check the stats and u can see Zhu receives almost the same amount as OH2 and libero.


    But she's OH1 ..which means of course she won't be receiving the most.

    Quote from QueenPiccininiLover

    What if I say Egonu doesn't fit Imoco and its system IMHO? She tends to be a mistakes machine when she gets too fast sets.

    Let's see what happens if she actually ends up there.


    If Egonu can fit Italian NT, she can definitely fit Imoco Conegliano too. Indeed If all the rumors are true, Imoco next year will look like Italian NT + Wolosz and De Kruijf.

    Wolosz is such a good setter that she can play any type of set and adapt to all types of spikers. This season, with Hodge getting injured so soon, fast game is the only way for Conegliano to contrast top teams, but I think having Egonu in the team will change a lot of things for them.

    I still think that with Megan Hodge this season could have been completely different for Imoco.

    The criticisim against Guidetti above is just BS...

    Coaches in team sports, actually any coach, are not intellectuals far from it they are more like drill-instructors,

    they push you to do things you don't normally would do...They are more external and sensation/perception oriented (ıf youre into Jung)

    Guidetti is an obsessive and passionate sob, and a great coach, and his players love him...

    Reportedly some players from Netherlands NT actually cried when they learned that he quit his job..

    Haak will be coming to the best club in the business, and it's on her to prove her worth and not Guidetti or Vakıf...

    She achieved NOTHING...

    Zhu does contribute in passing and defence as well for sure but no doubt players like Robinson and Gozde before make life a lot easier for her and the rest of their team by being absolute masters in this aspect of the game. :obey:

    Quote from Tamer06

    She achieved NOTHING...

    Well she's a 19 year old girl who's already one of the very best in the world in her position and playing for one of the top clubs in the world. Next year she'll be playing for an even better team and earning a hell of a lot of money. I'd say her achievements are pretty impressive so far.

    Maybe I don't know the maning of achivement...

    Zhu: best OH of WCH 2014, MVP of World cup, MVP of Olympics..

    Sloetjes: Best opposite of ECH 2015

    Kelsey: MVP of İtalian league 2016

    ..

    All these before playing a single game for Vakıfbank...

    Haak has done NOTHING. She is just a project right now...

    She has no room for being complacent (like the fellow above claims)

    She was MVP of regular part of season in Seria A 2017/2018.

    I would say an achievement is any impressive accomplishment but even if we use your definition it's a little unfair. Even Zhu wouldn't be the Olympics MVP, etc if she played for Sweden, also Haak is just 19 while Sloetjes and Robinson were in their mid-20s when they signed so of course they should have achieved more.


    Haak was the top scorer in the RS in Serie A last year, is that not an achievement?

    How could people ask for big achievements to a young girl who is just 19 and doesnt play in a competitive NT? We shouldnt forget she plays for SWEDEN! :teach:

    As someone already pointed out, she was already chosen MVP of a regular season in Serie A. Currently, she is in the top 5 of almost every single ranking in the italian league (scorer, spiker, server, spike per set, scorer per set). And she is the only OP/OH who is in the ranking of best blockers. The other players are all MBs.


    Of course, she still has to prove more in international tournments. But now, in this Champions, she is in the top 3 of best scorers and best spikers.

    Where else could she show her talent or achieve big things?

    Quote from Sisko95

    I would say an achievement is any impressive accomplishment but even if we use your definition it's a little unfair. Even Zhu wouldn't be the Olympics MVP, etc if she played for Sweden, also Haak is just 19 while Sloetjes and Robinson were in their mid-20s when they signed so of course they should have achieved more.


    Haak was the top scorer in the RS in Serie A last year, is that not an achievement?

    I am not saying Haak is a bad player, She has great spike-height and amazing technique, but playing at top-level is a different thing...

    Look at Goncharova in Moscow yesterday and Haak in Scandicci statistically they had similar games but Goncharova is clearly in another league..

    She's yet to prove her worth...

    She can't be complacent, she should be grateful that a team like Vakıfbank showed an interest in her...

    Ferdinand the bull my ass...

    No need to overly judge players like Haak and Vargas, they're huge talents but both still teenagers. Give em some time :D I'm sure team VakifBank (which is not just Guidetti) will build a great new team but it will be completely different then the current one, Haak will have her role in this. + I believe Zhu might actually return at some point after the Olympics.


    Haak had a bad match yesterday but I could just sense the pressure on her face, VB will help her build her confidence up. It's actually another thing they focus a lot on and imo one of the reasons they stand out: they focus also on the mental aspect of a player. Cansu Özbay obviously failed her test yesterday :lol:but she is also still young.

    So slightly off-topic and I was just curious, at what age can a female volleyball player be considered out of her prime? Take Goncharova for example (she is turning 30 this year), although there has been a slight drop in her performance say from the last 3-4 years, she is still playing high level and can still be considered one of the best players in her position. I know Gamova retired in NT at 33 years old if I'm not mistaken. Sheila retired around the same age.

    Quote from inc0gnito

    So slightly off-topic and I was just curious, at what age can a female volleyball player be considered out of her prime? Take Goncharova for example (she is turning 30 this year), although there has been a slight drop in her performance say from the last 3-4 years, she is still playing high level and can still be considered one of the best players in her position. I know Gamova retired in NT at 33 years old if I'm not mistaken. Sheila retired around the same age.

    This depends on playing style, apart from personality factors or overall mentality to go along with the age of her breakthrough, in my opinion; if the player relies heavily on athleticism or upon variation for example. Gamova, a great example of a more technical player, is an example of a late bloomer, her most impressive performances came in the WCH 2010 while she was already 30 years old. Whereas in contrast a lot of the best athletically gifted and highly explosive Cubans, such as Calderon, Carrillo and Carcaces, have showed signs of decline already before arriving at the age of 26-27. Destinee Hooker is another player who "peaked" early. Apart from that it also depends on how long the player has been performing on the highest stage. A player might merely have a certain amount of ages on top at her disposal, a maximum time or "buffert", and I would guess its somewhere around ten years. Hence a player who makes her breakthrough on the international or global scene at the age of 17 might be able to perform without decline on this same stage until 27 or so, at least according to what I believe myself. This, I speculate, is due to the fact a player either mentally or physically, or both, gets worn out after a longer time than that. They still might be world class even after this decline, albeit not on the same climatic level.

    Quote from inc0gnito

    So slightly off-topic and I was just curious, at what age can a female volleyball player be considered out of her prime? Take Goncharova for example (she is turning 30 this year), although there has been a slight drop in her performance say from the last 3-4 years, she is still playing high level and can still be considered one of the best players in her position. I know Gamova retired in NT at 33 years old if I'm not mistaken. Sheila retired around the same age.

    I would say it depends on many factors. hakin12 has a good point. Also Logan Tom was playing on pretty much high level through most of her carrer starting from around 17 till around 31 which was in London, 2012.

    Quote from inc0gnito

    So slightly off-topic and I was just curious, at what age can a female volleyball player be considered out of her prime? Take Goncharova for example (she is turning 30 this year), although there has been a slight drop in her performance say from the last 3-4 years, she is still playing high level and can still be considered one of the best players in her position. I know Gamova retired in NT at 33 years old if I'm not mistaken. Sheila retired around the same age.

    Just a small correction: Sheilla hasn't retired yet. She'll most likely return next season.