2022 FIVB Women's World Championships - Netherlands and Poland

    Quote from avid

    yes. sure.


    but its also a match that isnt as important as any other KO match in the tournament. did they try? sure. they were bad.

    People always like to excuse USA when they lose. Like they're too cool for school in tournaments like this. USA doesn't like to lose. That's why they sent team A in VNL since 2018 and demolished their opponents. Then all of a sudden, meh it's fine. It's just bronze in world championship.

    Quote from Rhaemon

    People always like to excuse USA when they lose. Like they're too cool for school in tournaments like this. USA doesn't like to lose. That's why they sent team A in VNL since 2018 and demolished their opponents. Then all of a sudden, meh it's fine. It's just bronze in world championship.

    excuse for what? they were/are bad.


    did they deserve bronze? no. are they going to lose sleep because they didnt win bronze? no

    Quote from voulter

    The interview he gave just now did feel a bit as a goodbye interview, but we'll see. I'd like to see a new face, but I'm afraid of who they would hire instead of him. Watch them get Barbolini back or Bonitta for max messiness :rolll:

    Yeah, the timing for coach's replacement would be awful with Santarelli and Lavarini working abroad right now (so different in comparison to a situation from a year ago), but Mazzanti means sub-optimal level of play with occasional peaking when OHs are in a right shape (Sylla at WCH 2018, Pietrini at ECH 2021, Bosetti during VNL Finals), so it's not too sexy tbh.


    And I'm with avid about these bronze medal games to some degree - I remember Arjen Robben (Dutch football player FYI) who said after losing to Argentina in penalties during 2014 World Cup in a semifinal that these bronze medal games are just awful from perspective of many players from mental standpoint. Obviously, from purely entertainment perspective it's better to have bronze medal game than not, but many times the mindset is decisive in such games and it's hard to blame players IMHO. The other thing is that the US team was awful, so sorry not sorry, lol, but it's tricky in general.

    Quote from avid

    excuse for what? they were/are bad.


    did they deserve bronze? no. are they going to lose sleep because they didnt win bronze? no

    It's the tone of "this wasn't as important". Who will pass up a medal just because it isn't gold? Gold is of course great but some people just sounded like "oh, it wasn't as important so they weren't giving it their all."

    USA again let the opponent win, just now it isn't tactical move, but they just don't care. Hilarious.

    I'm real fan of this discurs.

    Quote from Bogdan

    USA again let the opponent win, just now it isn't tactical move, but they just don't care. Hilarious.

    I'm real fan of this discurs.

    I think this is Karch's 100000 IQ play to let Mazzanti win and keep the Italian head coach job,


    Then in the Olympics which is the real deal he will sweep Italy 4-0.

    Quote from Rhaemon

    It's the tone of "this wasn't as important". Who will pass up a medal just because it isn't gold? Gold is of course great but some people just sounded like "oh, it wasn't as important so they weren't giving it their all."

    Bronze isnt important lol


    Especially for a team with USA's ambitions.


    I don't think they weren't giving it their all... but my thoughts dont matter, they were bad anyways. It's a tremendous change in their mental state, especially for Carlini... she wasn't "good enough" to play in the rounds before (that were important) and now she has to lead the charge in the game for "best of the losers" meh. lol


    If you want to be happy with bronze, kudos for you lol Italy deserve third place... but it doesnt match their ambitions either.

    well, italy is probably happy with bronze because they haven't actually won anything in recent years other than the European Championships and VNL