Like Dominican Republic scares the Brazilians?They qualified for Tokyo while experimenting against them. They're not a threat to them if this squad is fully healthy for the olympics or 50% injured.
Some teams have their teams that they hate to play. Right now DR is one of those teams for Brazil. Losing in the World League and forcing them to go 5 to get to Tokyo this year. Yes Brazil should beat them, but they are a scary team for them.
All kidding and bravado aside, I honestly feel that we can't beat this Chinese team. Whether it is due to some psychological blockade, or some match-up issue (that I can't figure out), or it's just been decreed by some higher power that any and all teams of Boskovic will lose to any and all teams of Zhu, we would probably need for someone else to knock them out for us to get gold.
I think this mentality was back in 2016. Serbia has come a long way since then..... They are a even stronger team now. That final game was the most important game they have ever played.... But now they have played in many many important games.... Serbia does not fear China..... after the WCH semis Maja even said they wanted to play China in the final.
Serbia beat China twice at home in GP 2017.... yes, China does not take it seriously, but neither does Serbia. But when they played during the preliminary and Bronze Medal, both teams went in all to win....and Serbia did not fear them at all.
Boskovic in Rio was still somehow a promise....now she`s the real deal and can totally carry her team to a Olympic Gold. China is their biggest rival, and if Serbia can`t win against them is simply because China will have played better.....
In 2016 it was Zhu, Zhu and Zhu.....2020 will be Zhu, Boskovic and Egonu.
That's a bizarre fact! That's SEVEN Olympic Cycles, or a 24-year time span.... and simply pretty long for a coincidence
it is not rocket science. World number 1 and number 2 is always in group B. So it is not surprising that one of them always gets the gold
Some teams have their teams that they hate to play. Right now DR is one of those teams for Brazil. Losing in the World League and forcing them to go 5 to get to Tokyo this year. Yes Brazil should beat them, but they are a scary team for them.
Without Tandara and Natalia? In an overdrawn and tedious VNL preliminary that Brazil didn't even taken seriously so the younger players can have a chance to play? You're kidding, right?
After few weeks ago Italy was top candidat for Gold in Tokyo and now after they won bronza at ECH, lost against Serbia 3:1 without one of the main player for their way of the game, Bosetti. They are out from every predicition for Gold and even 3rd place... 
Playing at ECH and Olympics is something else, something special. Hard to believe that Egonu will repeat semi final game from ECH...
Sorry but I can't put Brazil and USA at the same level as CHN, ITA, SRB...
After few weeks ago Italy was top candidat for Gold in Tokyo and now after they won bronza at ECH, lost against Serbia 3:1 without one of the main player for their way of the game, Bosetti. They are out from every predicition for Gold and even 3rd place...
Playing at ECH and Olympics is something else, something special. Hard to believe that Egonu will repeat semi final game from ECH...
Sorry but I can't put Brazil and USA at the same level as CHN, ITA, SRB...
I also find interesting that people totally ignore Netherlands when they have actually reached the semi finals in both Olympics and Word Championship, but I guess some people sees VNL wins as more important.
If Netherlands makes it....I will certainly consider them among the favorites, just behind CHN, SRB and ITA.
Rossiya team is close to clinch a full 3 points retaining full sets against the ARG, happy go lucky team, leading 2-0 with ease now... securing the medal race!
RUS is still fielding its main line-up against the team at the bottom of table, showing the importance of this match for them! Busato clearly does not want to take any risk. Sorry big girls, no rest for you
I know what Busato did was super stupid. But I have to say....I actually really like him. He looks to me to be a very nice guy and I like his attitude and interaction with his players.
Sometimes I wonder what Lang Ping sees in Gong, feels like she can`t ever get the job done against top teams. I feel like Liu Xiaotong could be more useful, but the same time Gong is only 22 while Liu is 29, and Lang Ping is all about trusting young players.....which is something I love.
Who is saying tht Brazil is on the same level as CHN, SRB and ITA?
The good thing when your favorite team is playing with their B, is that every match is interesting.
If Serbia played their A roster against KOR and DR.....2 boring matches.
But now with this B-C team, Serbia is basically the underdog in both matches....2 interesting matches.
I also find interesting that people totally ignore Netherlands when they have actually reached the semi finals in both Olympics and Word Championship, but I guess some people sees VNL wins as more important.
If Netherlands makes it....I will certainly consider them among the favorites, just behind CHN, SRB and ITA.
For someone who claims to have watched every game, are you kidding me? They didn't even make to semis in the ECH, and they just lost to Serbia's B team, you still consider them to be one of the favs? On top of that, if they can make it to Tokyo is a big question mark
After few weeks ago Italy was top candidat for Gold in Tokyo and now after they won bronza at ECH, lost against Serbia 3:1 without one of the main player for their way of the game, Bosetti. They are out from every predicition for Gold and even 3rd place...
Playing at ECH and Olympics is something else, something special. Hard to believe that Egonu will repeat semi final game from ECH...
Sorry but I can't put Brazil and USA at the same level as CHN, ITA, SRB...
It is possible to make a similar statement about the US... When it mattered most, they had just one lost, with Poulter and Courtney, without a 100% Hill.. and we know that US are not going to be like that in the Olympics, and now you put them in what, 4th? 5th? After one game... If you can't rule out Italy, why you rule out US than?
There’s a lot of time between now and Tokyo. If Netherlands play like they have this summer then I would be shocked if they got a medal, but we can’t just forget about their good years in 2015-2018 so easily. I think they can still recapture that form and if they do then they’ll be a threat.
The good thing when your favorite team is playing with their B, is that every match is interesting.
If Serbia played their A roster against KOR and DR.....2 boring matches.
But now with this B-C team, Serbia is basically the underdog in both matches....2 interesting matches.
I won't go so far saying they are underdogs in those matches (having in mind results thus far), but I agree with you. It is so enjoyable to watch this team. Someone earlier in this thread characterised them as ''scrappy" and I think they nailed it. I honestly was much more pessimistic about Serbia's future immediately after winning World Championship last Octobar than I am now. We are (probably) not gonna drop off the map (read: not be Top 10 in the world), even after Maja, Stefana, Milena and Brankica retire. We are never going to be as strong as we are right now, but you can't expect something like that from such a small country. Even having this generation is nothing short of a miracle.
For someone who claims to have watched every game, are you kidding me? They didn't even make to semis in the ECH, and they just lost to Serbia's B team, you still consider them to be one of the favs? On top of that, if they can make it to Tokyo is a big question mark
Trust me, I love that Serbia`s B team beat them.....and they have challenged every team so far.
but we can`t ignore the fact NED are without Robin and Nika, plus they are all tired from the ECH.....keep in mind they have spent at least 3 weeks in a Hotel across Europe, and now 2-3 weeks in a hotel in Japan. This is not the ideal situation ....5 weeks of play.....is just like VNL.
Just because they are not playing well right now, it does not mean they will play like this when it matters the most. They lost ECH for the host country..... A team that Serbia was able to beat only in 5 sets....15-13 in the 5th set.
NED did not go into the OG and WCH as favorites to reach the semis.....but they did it both times.
I won't go so far saying they are underdogs in those matches (having in mind results thus far).
Kim rested yesterday....so I`m assuming she will play tonight. I think Lavarini is using Kim only for the matches in which they have a realistic chance of winning.
It's amazing how everyone crawls out of the woodwork as soon as the USA falters. It's almost like a sports in itself to some of you. I guess Italy, Netherlands and China can have off days but Brazil and the USA can't. They drop one match and suddenly challenging for any medal in 2020 is nothing but a pipe dream. Anyway....
So the match went exactly how I thought it was going to. There's just way too many question marks on that court to go against that formidable Chinese team.The inexperienced of Poulter and the middles especially Haleigh were evident in this match. The coaching staff needs to do a better job recognizing which players should take the floor, factoring readiness and matchup. They really should've started with all the subs plus Larson.
Terrible roster management contributed to that embarrassing showing against China. They knew they're going to play 3 games in less than 48 hrs. They should have trusted their bench more. They should have realized that they have a better chance of getting the same results against Japan using their bench yesterday than getting a win playing the same 5 starters less than 18 hrs later against a determined China. They didn't think about how short their recovery time was going to be after that late game and a 5 setter. Now they have the Queens of the Caribbean waiting for them in less than 5 hours.
China with their improved defence is clearly on a different level from everyone else in the world right now.
It is possible to make a similar statement about the US... When it mattered most, they had just one lost, with Poulter and Courtney, without a 100% Hill.. and we know that US are not going to be like that in the Olympics, and now you put them in what, 4th? 5th? After one game... If you can't rule out Italy, why you rule out US than?
USA is missing players as Zhu, Boskovic and especially Egonu.
Before they had one of the best setter EVER (For me) and She had bring USA on that level, in my eye they are not at the same level as this 3. USA is playing on similar level for years now after Glass retire... On another hand CHN, ITA and SRB are growing...
For USA type of the game your setter needs to be on Wolosz-Glass level to be at the top, and if you have someone as their now setter they can be strong but not enough...
I think part of NED's success in the last years was due in no small part to Sloetjes, and this year, I think she officially reached her decline
I think part of NED's success in the last years was due in no small part to Sloetjes, and this year, I think she officially reached her decline
Exactly. Plus, Maret is getting older, and her lack of offensive power is starting to be ever more hurtful to the team (even as her defence and passing remain as important to them).
