Congrats Novara! I really expected for a better match, I mean, better quality. There was high level rallies, but it was very irregular.
Fener is my fav Turkish team, so it is a pity for me to see once again another collapse from them. It is highly probable they will finish empty hands this season one more time. It looks centuries ago when they were competitive in Europe. As almost everyone can notice it, their roster isnt bad at all, so the problem goes further than just the players...
It would be very repetitive, because many of us have already pointed out, but with all the due respect to Smarzek, Novara plays many times with 5 players, her performance and contribution to the team is more a burden than a plus. There are so many long rallies after greate defenses, that Smarzek cant finish the point. With a pretty decent OPP, this would haven been a 3-0 for Novara. We all know Smarzek can play way much better than this, we have seen her, but I think that maybe a good time in the bench could make her wake up.
Maybe some polish users could help us to know if her bad performance is due to something outside vball.
Last, but not least: Caterina Bosetti is such an amazing player! Maybe I am not 100% objective, because I am hopelessly in loved with "all round" players, not only the ones who attack, attack and attack. All around players are the backbone of this sport for me. In the last years we have see how this kind of players are like an "endemic" specie now, so difficult to find. Im glad to read that the lights and consideration to these players is back.
Sure, I am not saying at all C. Bosetti is at the same level of Sokolova, Tom, Del Core, Kim, PP4, etc, but we could see that the praise she got now is because players like her are super unusual nowadays. Some years ago, 2000-2012, she would be just one more of the list.
what happen to this thread
Is empty now.....
I really thought that after London 2012 final, vball fans would learn that it aint over till the fat lady sings. Even much more when two teams with similar level or, much better, with not so much distance between them, face each other.
Sure, if Serbia plays against Algeria, after one convincing first set from the Europeans we can undoubtely say the match will be an easily 3-0. I strongly believed Fener-Novara wasnt that kind of match
At the same time you have the guts to provoke, you would have to show them in order congratulate the other team or, much better, to just accept you opened your mouth before time. But nowadays to accept a mistake is seen as weakness.
Finally, to Novara fans, I really hope you dont think this is over. As I pointed out, both teams dong have a big level gap between them. If Smarzek continues to play like this and Vargas has an inspired night (as she had for 2 sets and a half against Conegliano), this leg could be very very entertaining. This isnt over yet.
