CEV Champions League 2021

  • I think that Macris is doing really good in Minas.

  • while this last decade gave us amazing opp we didn't have many amazing setters

    Only macris

  • You know, some may view this Maja-Naz-Joana debate as a setter version of the Big 3 endless debates of the past 2 years, but there's a fundamental difference between those 2 set of triplets. Boskovic-Egonu-Zhu are simple the 3 best players in the world of volleyball today, but there are many more excellent players. But it really seems that besides those 3 setters there are maybe Tomkom and Ding Xia and...that's about it as far as really good setters go today. Think about it for a moment: only 5 or so excellent setters in the world. That's...pretty bleak, isn't it? The art of setting is almost dying out.


    So, I have even less of a problem with debates about who is the best of that small pool, because we should enjoy in them while we still have them, because folks, we might be in for a world of blandness in the near future, if things don't change

    Imo Poulter & Macris can also be considered as good setters, but I do agree that the pool of good setters is small.


    The bigger problem is after this generation, even fewer names can be considered as good. Poulter is the only one who’s still young, then I can only think of Carlini & Ozbay, both are decent setters but a bit unstable.


    China, Japan & Brazil used to have lots of great setters in the past, but talented young setter becomes rare in these countries as well. Especially China, they always had great setters in each of their past generations. But now you can’t name anyone after Ding Xia, their 2nd setter Yao Di is still so bad even after so many years in Lang Ping’s NT.

  • You know, some may view this Maja-Naz-Joana debate as a setter version of the Big 3 endless debates of the past 2 years, but there's a fundamental difference between those 2 set of triplets. Boskovic-Egonu-Zhu are simple the 3 best players in the world of volleyball today, but there are many more excellent players. But it really seems that besides those 3 setters there are maybe Tomkom and Ding Xia and...that's about it as far as really good setters go today. Think about it for a moment: only 5 or so excellent setters in the world. That's...pretty bleak, isn't it? The art of setting is almost dying out.


    So, I have even less of a problem with debates about who is the best of that small pool, because we should enjoy in them while we still have them, because folks, we might be in for a world of blandness in the near future, if things don't change

    That's a good point Janko! Next to Boskoviç-Egonu-Zhu, there are some heavy weapons we can count, such as Haak, Vargas, Stysiak, Ebrar, Li Yingying, etc and there are more coming from younger generations. But there are not many setters that can have a real impact on the game nowadays. Even some of the top teams have 'dull' setters. As you said, Japan and CHN always had outstanding setters in the last 2 decades but not anymore (after Ding Xia, CHN will struggle a lot if they will end up with Yao Di). We shouldn't even count Tomkom because she is indeed inactive this season.


    That's why I am hoping that Maja will pull another Piccinini/kirillova case and play till her 40s:super:

  • Wolosz literally had 1 star in her NT and other one with 2.02M, original as OPP playing as OH and that is your fact why her NT is not showing anything special.:what::what:

    On another hand Naz has Vargas, Eda, Brankica and Robison AT LEAST.

    Lord from heaven wouldn’t help Polish NT. So pls that is stupid reason.


    She can be happy that She played semi finals with her NT.

    Not true, Kakolewska is indeed a very good MB. Also Alagierska is pretty good. Their libero is quite decent as well. Only thing they were missing was a stable reception line which is something Wolosz is not used to. Thus she ends up just a decent setter in NT.

  • On court there are three times more pin hitters than setters. Statistically speaking, the number of good setters in the world can well be three times less than the number of good pin hitters you can name.

  • Excluding Naz, Wolosz and Ognjenovic, the one im most excited about is Poulter. She is a very precise setter and can adapt any setting style. She may seem boring and may lack creativity at times but I believe creativity comes with experience. Plus she is tall and not really a liability in blocking.

  • Pornpun is following the next of Tomkom imo. Btw it is kinda weird to me that when people mentioned about Best Setters they often leave Alisha Glass’ name. I thought she was really good with her style of setting.

    That's because we are talking about current setters. What would be the point in that context to bring up a player who hasn't been active for almost half a decade?

    On court there are three times more pin hitters than setters. Statistically speaking, the number of good setters in the world can well be three times less than the number of good pin hitters you can name.

    Still doesn't account for such an extremely small number of great and consistent setters (half a dozen or so). Plus there are significantly more than 20 great pin hitters.

  • That's because we are talking about current setters. What would be the point in that context to bring up a player who hasn't been active for almost half a decade?

    The discussion was about generational setters. People mentioned about previous eras setters and the ones after Maja-Wolosz-Naz.


    And I am just stating that because I don’t see much of Glass’ name brought up when people talk about setter. That is why I am asking.

  • The discussion was about generational setters.

    It's about current great setters, so my point stands. Mentioning setters younger than Maja, Naz etc. (as if they are a same "generation"?) is still talking about active setters. The only one to mention retired greats was Matthias, and he did it in the context of that jokey competition of posting videos of players, not in the context of this discussion.

  • It is true that future generations are a weakening to artists like Maja, originally I mean the philosophy and setting of the game itself, it is also true that there were not hundreds of them in the past. Volleyball has changed a lot in general as a sport in the past decade, it affected to duties and expectations of setters, I would say that now it is much more complex, due to better service, very often unstable reception, and something that is rarely mentioned, and that is progress in the block aspect. IMO that's the reason why young setters "fail the exam". Leaving a player without a block or only on one block is incomparably harder today than, for example, 15-20 years ago.

    That in the coming years we will not see young players, new potential Venturini, Fofao, Lo Bianco, Takeshita, Maja is true, but it is not great wisdom, while all these players were active, it was known that these players are unique and that the right the blessing that we are at the same time watching the amazingness of each.

    I certainly don't see much point in comparing setters and pin hitters, and it's not just that there are certainly 3 times more of these. I don't agree that there are too many great stable and complete pin hitters, I emphasize complete, because in order for a setter to be considered at least good, it must be diverse and complete, and only in those conditions could I perhaps compare the absolute number of players in different positions in terms of their quality.


  • I think she still is a great middle blocker and I wouldn't be surprised if she goes to Turkey or Italy next season. Of course her best atventage is her blocking but IMO she plays much better overall when she is being used in attack ( like in Chemik where Kowalewska plays a lot with middles ). For example if I remember correct - Malinov hardly ever gave her balls in Scandicci.


  • I think she still is a great middle blocker and I wouldn't be surprised if she goes to Turkey or Italy next season. Of course her best atventage is her blocking but IMO she plays much better overall when she is being used in attack ( like in Chemik where Kowalewska plays a lot with middles ). For example if I remember correct - Malinov hardly ever gave her balls in Scandicci.

    I like Kakolewska a lot! Indeed I dont think she has unleashed all her potential yet. I would love to see her playing in turkey soon

  • It's about current great setters, so my point stands. Mentioning setters younger than Maja, Naz etc. (as if they are a same "generation"?) is still talking about active setters. The only one to mention retired greats was Matthias, and he did it in the context of that jokey competition of posting videos of players, not in the context of this discussion.

    and why do you assume what i said referred to your discussion? Why is it an issue for you when i simply ask what I wanna know? You wanna talk about current great setters go ahead. That doesnt mean my question should be dismissed because it doesnt fit your narrative. You dont wanna answer then ignore my question and stick to your discussion.

  • It is true that future generations are a weakening to artists like Maja, originally I mean the philosophy and setting of the game itself, it is also true that there were not hundreds of them in the past. Volleyball has changed a lot in general as a sport in the past decade, it affected to duties and expectations of setters, I would say that now it is much more complex, due to better service, very often unstable reception, and something that is rarely mentioned, and that is progress in the block aspect. IMO that's the reason why young setters "fail the exam". Leaving a player without a block or only on one block is incomparably harder today than, for example, 15-20 years ago.

    That in the coming years we will not see young players, new potential Venturini, Fofao, Lo Bianco, Takeshita, Maja is true, but it is not great wisdom, while all these players were active, it was known that these players are unique and that the right the blessing that we are at the same time watching the amazingness of each.

    I certainly don't see much point in comparing setters and pin hitters, and it's not just that there are certainly 3 times more of these. I don't agree that there are too many great stable and complete pin hitters, I emphasize complete, because in order for a setter to be considered at least good, it must be diverse and complete, and only in those conditions could I perhaps compare the absolute number of players in different positions in terms of their quality.

    You have a very fond point of views when it comes to the game and I like it a lot. Just a question, do you consider Glass as legendary setter?

  • I like Kakolewska a lot! Indeed I dont think she has unleashed all her potential yet. I would love to see her playing in turkey soon

    Imo Kakolewska is more suited to Italy. I think she'll thrive more there given a good team to work with.