2020 Olympic Games - qualification

    Thai fans are a hoot :rose:

    As I have a match myself later, I won't be able to watch from the beginning, I hope I'll be home for 3rd set at least.


    I'm not even sure yet if I'm happy about Germany being in the final. Losing there will be much harder than losing in semifinal, and I still don't allow myself to consider the option of winning. Too good to be true...


    One reason though why I really want the team to win, it would be a big punch into the face of our federation who has been overly supportive of men's NT in the last few years and neglecting the women at the same time. Alright, men won medals 2014 and 2017, but those have been overachievements and they failed everywhere else. Still federation hosts men's qualifier, hires Andrea Giani who probably gets twice the salary of Koslowski, and all in vain :gone:


    Speaking about Koslowski: I think German coaching staff does not get enough praise here! Sure, the players have to do well on court, but I think it's obvious how well prepared technically, tactically and mentally they are in this tournament, and that's coming from the coaching staff. Unlike in other teams I think it's also visible that players and staff are a union and trust each other to the max.

    Btw, Koslowski's wife is pregnant with his 4th kid and is expected to give birth any day now. Before the tournament he said his goal is to play the final and afterwards go home right away in order to be there to witness the birth; I hope his plan is going to work out :heart:

    Smarzek is the 3rd best score in Serie A.


    Kakolewska is the 2nd best spiker with 59.6% (Only Bonifacio is hitting better than her).


    Stysiak is doing very well and even put Sloetjes on the bench.


    Woloz had a lot to work with.....Maybe Malinov and Mirkovic are better than Woloz since she`s unable to bring out the best of Smarzek,Kakolweska and Stysiak. :dance6:

    Now I'm even more pissed that Korea couldn't finish the job back in August against Russia....

    I know I am really late with this, but Congrats Turkey! What a match! Not the best vball, but the half and end of fourth set paid it off! I would not have liked to be Turk or Pole during the end of that match.

    Turkey, once again, as almost all the good teams when they are against the strings, show that plus, that fighting spirit. In Spanish it is called: "suerte del campeòn", or like "champion's luck". It wasnt luck at all, but Turkey knew how to manage the nerves in the 4th set.

    Even though Cansu has been playing better and she is the starter, you DO need Naz experience in this kind of matches. I know she had TERRIBLE sets to her MBs, specially Eda, but she adds block, defense and EXPERIENCE. I dont want to sound mean towards Poland, but Turkey underperformed a bit. With just a little more contribution from the MBs, we wouldnt have watched a tie-break. And the pass wasnt so tragic, some times Naz had a perfect pass and her sets to the MBs were unwatchable. Germany is a team which doesnt do so many silly mistakes as Poland.


    In the other hand....oh Polska! The same script of the last years. At least, you know how to deal with it. From missing two WCH in a row to be in the VNL final 6, back to SF in ECh and just one point away for fighting for the last ticket to Tokyo. You should be proud of that!

    For me, even though Smarzek didnt show all her potential and she was well controlled by Turkey, the weakest link was Wolosz. She is a great setter, as I said it so many times before, but still missing the little ingredient. This is sth that has happened since day one in this tournment: setting to Stysiak thinking she is Hill or Sylla. Setting to her MBs thinking they are Folie or Robin. Some times you just need a high ball to position 4 and wait in defense, instead of trying to make so much magic. Less is more. Like Lo Bianco once said: setters are like waiters. If the client (spiker) asks us for a Pepsi, despite of I think Coca Cola is better, I shall give him a Pepsi.

    In those free balls in match point at the end of 4th set, she could have just set to Alagierska. Nobody was waiting for her. Smarzek was in backrow, blocked and defended many times by Akoz, who was alwayas waiting for her. She could have even ended with a second touch. By true legends, as Venturini, Maja, etc would have had the balls to do it.

    Anyway, this kind of matches are decided by details.

    Thailand has no answers for Lee Jaeyong... she always goes for the blockers hands and always scores...

    Quote from haru_12

    ahhh these 2 commentators calling KYK kim jeong jeong , kim yeong yeong ~

    They must be like the only people in the volleyball world who don't know how to pronounce KYK's name.... When they say it it sounds like they have hiccups....

    Quote from Volleygirl17

    Now I'm even more pissed that Korea couldn't finish the job back in August against Russia....

    That was sooo close and I barely slept after that match.


    Korea even lost their starter setter Lee dayeong and both back up setter, and sent 2 new setters 2 days before the tournament. Overcoming all these, they almost got ticket. And almost on the verge of that again.


    However, Korea should finish the match cause it's not end yet. The match with Russia was like this till the 2-0, 3rd set 22-18