At 5pm (CET) there will be a live stream for the second friendly match between France and the Netherlands. Yesterday the Dutch team won 3-2.
Dutch NT 2021
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France won the first set 25-17.
Dutch team started with:
Bongaerts- Plak
Buijs - Jasper
Baijens - Lohuis
Schoot
They are playing really bad, France is better in every aspect! Reception and defense is a mess and Bongaerts hasn't good connection with her hitters. Jasper can't bring the same stability as Grothues in reception. Seems like Daalderop is injured, because she didn't warm-up. Dutch team dependents too much on her nowadays, because Buijs and Plak aren't relaiable hitters anymore -
Eventually Dutch team started to play a bit better (still not great) and won the match 3-2. Reception was more stable, so Bongaerts could involve middle blockers more in attack, especially Baijens.
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I thought she was captain during VNL?
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Might this mean she is also skipping ECh? Is Robin in the roster?
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Might this mean she is also skipping ECh? Is Robin in the roster?
Don't think so. Probably all players on the picture will be in the ECH squad.
I expected Grothues to be captain again. Personally I also think Grothues is our best option for captain, but I think Selinger plans on playing with Buijs - Daalderop as outside hitter duo during ECH, so it makes sense to keep Buijs as captain.
Ronin de Kruijf took whole summer of, so she won't play at ECH.
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Still no roster for the Dutch women
Based on social media my guess is that at least the following girls will be there: Dijkema, Grothues, Knip, Buijs, Schoot, Daalderop, Korevaar, Jasper, Lohuis.
Edit: also Timmerman and Baijens. I think the MB's are complete now. Polder seems to be completely out of the picture btw
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Laura Dijkema appeared in a podcast today. They started with some statements which she had to say agree or disagree on. First statement: Our previous head coach (Guidetti) betrayed us. Laura's answer: agree. They were in a flow in and after Rio, making plans for the next Olympics and suddenly Guidetti moves to Turkey. That's why Dijkema and other NT members felt betrayed. She adds that it is a past station now and that they have to move on.
A bit later they're talking about how it was for Lonneke, as Guidetti was also her coach in Vakifbank. "It wasn't easy for Lonneke. As a foreign player she was in Vakifbank to play, and Guidetti put her in the stand and not even on the bench in the final round. The last game he needed Lonneke to play and she did it without hesitation although Guidetti humiliated her by leaving her out of the team. That shows great sportsmanship and shows what an amazing person Lonneke is." Lonneke has been and still is a big inspiration for Laura with her great personality and down-to-earth mentality.
In the podcast they also talk about the Rio Olympics, missing out on Tokyo and about Laura's personal life. If you speak Dutch (or not) definitely worth listening, it's called the Helden podcast!
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Meanwhile Dutch team is on their way to Eurovolley but still no roster
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I expect Dambrink will be getting playing time as opposite again. Not sure if she or Plak will start.
But in the U20 tournament Knollema performance was more impressive than Dambrink. As a result would like to see her in Dutch NT too.
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Laura Dijkema appeared in a podcast today. They started with some statements which she had to say agree or disagree on. First statement: Our previous head coach (Guidetti) betrayed us. Laura's answer: agree. They were in a flow in and after Rio, making plans for the next Olympics and suddenly Guidetti moves to Turkey. That's why Dijkema and other NT members felt betrayed. She adds that it is a past station now and that they have to move on.
A bit later they're talking about how it was for Lonneke, as Guidetti was also her coach in Vakifbank. "It wasn't easy for Lonneke. As a foreign player she was in Vakifbank to play, and Guidetti put her in the stand and not even on the bench in the final round. The last game he needed Lonneke to play and she did it without hesitation although Guidetti humiliated her by leaving her out of the team. That shows great sportsmanship and shows what an amazing person Lonneke is." Lonneke has been and still is a big inspiration for Laura with her great personality and down-to-earth mentality.
In the podcast they also talk about the Rio Olympics, missing out on Tokyo and about Laura's personal life. If you speak Dutch (or not) definitely worth listening, it's called the Helden podcast!
Where can I listen to this?
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https://www.instagram.com/tv/C…m_source=ig_web_copy_link
Q&A video with Maret, Elles and Kirsten. Cool to see the new girls blending in so well with the older ones
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Selection for Project 2022 is announced. They will play until the playoffs in Dutch first league and afterwards will try to play some training matches abroad.
Setters:
Kim Klein Lankhorst & Hyke Lyklema
Opposite:
Elles Dambrink & Nicole van de Vosse
Outside hitters:
Fleur Savelkoel, Iris Vos, Pleun van der Pijl, Noa de Vos & Famke Boonstra
Middle blockers:
Demi Korevaar & Britte Stuut
Libero:
Myrthe Schoot & Romy Brokking (Florien Reesink will only train with the team)
*I expected Koolhaas to be part of the team, but she isn't so I think she retired. This also leaves the team with only 2 middle blockers...
To be honest, I don't expect much of this project... Players like Korevaar and Schoot will not play matches at the same level as in Germany. Dambrink should have go and play abroad to develop furter. Brokking played a really well WCH U20, but will be benched for Schoot now. All the other players are not able (yet) to compete at a high level, so it will not develop the players who have an actual shot to be on the squad for WCH 22 in home country
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I like the idea behind this project, but I don't think any of the junior players could/should be in the roster for 2022. Training with more experienced players and more hours a week will for sure help them, but playing in the domestic league will definitely not.
Brokking is a very good prospect, but it would be dumb to put her in the roster for next year, Schoot and Knip can do the job perfectly well until next year. They only one who I expect to be in the 2022 WCH squad is Dambrink. Besides Plak there's no one on her position. For the middle blockers the five of De Kruijf/Belien/Lohuis/Timmerman/Baijens are more than enough to pick 4 players out. Hard but true for Korevaar, and probably Koolhaas who has nothing to look for in NT anymore. Maybe Knollema surprises in Il Bisonte, i am curious to see how see will do.
I'm still wondering whether Oude Luttikhuis and Polder will be in NT again (I don't think so with the lack of progress they are showing, although Polder still has potential)
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I’ve read somewhere that Dutch U20 or U18 is very promising. Is it correct?
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They got 4th place in the U20 tournament this summer, which is a very good achievement. I think it now all depends on the development of the individual players who indeed have potential! It's a good team for sure
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Maybe Knollema surprises in Il Bisonte, i am curious to see how see will do.
I'm so curious if she will have some chances to play and how she will perform than for Firenze. She really suprised me during WCH U20, pretty stable in all aspects and most important player for the Ducth team
I atleast want to see her perform during VNL next year, so she can show what she can add to Ducth NT. Both Jasper and Grothues are barely used this ECH, so I think only 1 defensive outside hitter could be enough for WCH if Knollema develops in a good way!
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Well national team summer 2021 has come to an end for Dutch NT. Overall I think it was a good summer for the relative young and new squad
Learning process for next year is they need to start believe in themselves against strong opponents, so they can play their own game against them. Only than they will be able to beat higher ranked teams!My impression on the players individually:
Setters
For me Bongaerts has shown the most consistent level whole summer long from all Ducth players! Her sets aren't always the cleanest, but she is a real leader on court and has been able to let most players play in their strength. Her connection with middle blockers is good, so she should try and involve them a bit more in offense. Unfortunately reception doesn't always allow her to and current middle blockers don't perform well in attack against strong opponents.
Dijkema only played during ECH and hasn't seen a lot of the court, so difficult to judge her performance. Although I think it wouldn't have made a difference, but IMO she could have gotten more chances in last matches trying to turn the match around! She can help with her experience in those difficult moments. If Bongaerts will be able to involve middles as much as possible, they complement eachother well as setter duo since Dijkema her sets to the pins are better
About van Aalen there isn't much to say either, because she hasn't played much during VNL either.It's clear she isn't ready to be one of the main setters in important tournaments and playing in Potsdam this year won't help her development, because she will be benched by Lilley...
Opposites
This position was a big question mark after Sloëtjes decided to retire and she was our most important player for years. Dambrink played really well during VNL, but unfortunately she couldn't show the same performance at ECH. During VNL she was unknown, so teams couldn't scout her and it was easier for her to score points. She has a lot of potential, but she should become more powerful to make up for her relative small height for the opposite position. Plak clearly wasn't in right shape yet this summer after she took a break. Her rhythm in attack isn't right, so she can't use her PlakPower in the right way when she hit the ball. Hope playing in Japan will help her getting this rhythm back, so she will help the team as she did before in absence of Sloëtjes!
Scholten & Meijers are not good enough for international level, so that leaves Plak and Dambrink for the opposite position.
Outside hitters
Daalderop showed this summer she currently is the best Dutch player (in absence of de Kruijf). She is a player who plays with high risk, so this makes her error prone. She is scoring a lot, but hitting smarter in attack and using the block in attack would make her more efficient! Buijs played a decent VNL and was the leader on court at the beginning of ECH! Unfortunately she couldn't play on the same level in the decisive matches
She fulfilled the captain role well! IMO Jasper didn't get enough chances this summer to show what she is capable of against strong opponents... Now I can't tell if her attack has grown after playing in Italy. Whenever she entered the court in the backrow, she showed steady defensive work and good reception! Something what is really valuable to any team. Grothues also entered the court a few times this ECH in the back row. During this time she showed she still is a stable defender and receiver! As already mentioned, she could be used as receiving opposite, but unfortunately I think that will never happen...Middle blockers
This position is the biggest reason why the Netherlands didn't end up with a medal. There simply wasn't enough experience on this position, only one player of de Kruijf, Beliën or Koolhaas would have helped a lot. Timmerman symbolizes the Dutch team; playing great against weaker opponents but scared to give it her all against stronger opponents
She really has the potential, because her attack is great! Only she needs to be faster in block and learn how to play at a consistent level. Playing for Stuttgart will help her to learn how to play matches under pressure. Lohuis just isn't made to play at international level... She can only contribute with her serve, but her attack isn't powerful enough and also in block she is too slow to put up a well formed block. Baijens didn't play a lot. Of all middle blockers she has the most potential! Her attack is good and she can be a good blocker, but she lacks experience to read the game well so she can close the block. Playing in Schwerin under Koslowski will help her development for sure! Korevaar played very little, but she also isn't the player to expect a lot of! Fingers crossed that both de Kruijf and Beliën will return for WCH in home country, so Dutch team can compete against stronger opponents
Timmerman and Baijens should be their back-ups.Libero
Schoot played her best volleyball this summer of her whole career! Especially during VNL she played really well. Her reception has been stabilized and her setting out of system is also good! Hope she can maintain this level for WCH 22.
After taking a break, Knip was far from being in the right shape! Hope playing professional again will help her to be back in the shape she was in 2017 and 2018. Only than she will be able to help the team.
Selinger is a good trainer. Technically he is strong and he can help young players to develop. As a coach he is really bad! He can't make changes in the game plan during a match to try to turn the match around... In addition, he is unable to pep up the team during a match. This all has to come from the team itself, because the assistant coaches have the same working method as Selinger
