I think Startseva is going because she doesn't have a club and the ECh is a way to be in the eye of many European clubs. BTW, all those veterans don't dislike Buzato... some even recommended him to the president of the federation
I thought Startseva was going to Lokomotiv? 
Also thought the same about the players' thoughts on Busato.
I thought Startseva was going to Lokomotiv?
I hope not. I personally want her to play in Italy.
I hope not. I personally want her to play in Italy.
Italy is out of the question right now
Roster RUSSIA
Setters
Evgeniya Startseva
Polina Matveeva
OP
Anna Lazareva
BLOCKING
Yulia Brovkina
Ekaterina Enina
Elizaveta Kotova
OH
Irina Kapustina
Tatiana Kadochkina
Ksenia Smirnova
Arina Fedorovtseva
LIBERO
Tamara Zaitseva
Daria Pilipenko
I am glad that Maligina and Katya Efimova are not on the list! I hope Lazareva, Kotova and Kapustina realize their potential. Although Kadochkina gets her chance to perform with a delay, I am sure that she, as a real "lioness" on the court, will show a stable game!
Now is the time for these players to prove themselves, to show that Russia can now do without Goncharova and finally see a faster and more dynamic volleyball.
Ноpe Hope Hope 😀
I think it is the right time to test non experienced players. Also glad Kotova and Enina will be able to display their game.
I just think it is not a balanced team on the pins. Who is going to receive?? The liberos aren't inspiring either so it is likely to become an unbalanced team on the reception line, which can trouble both middles and attackers with b/c passes.
So what happened to Gorbunova and Efimova? Why not just bring a full squad.
There is zero downside of bringing extra 2 persons even if they are benched anyway.
I'm happy for Kadochkina and Kotova 
. I know they are just training few days with the team, but being there is important for their international experience.
So what happened to Efimova?
Efimova is kinda injured, I guess.
Who is going to receive??
I think Arina-Smirnova-Pilipenko will be the Russian line-up... Maybe this tournament makes Arina become an all-around player 
. BTW, it's good to have a receiver "specialist" cause Russia will need it.
I thought Startseva was going to Lokomotiv?
Lokomotiv has already two setters: Filishtinskaya and Ryseva. Startseva may go to Moscow (if Romanova is still injured), Uralochka, or abroad.
This is good for Russia, testing new players. Hope Kadochkina and Kotova play good and get a spot on the team in the future!
I'm happy for Kadochkina and Kotova
Efimova is kinda injured, I guess.
I think Arina-Smirnova-Pilipenko will be the Russian line-up... Maybe this tournament makes Arina become an all-around player
Lokomotiv has already two setters: Filishtinskaya and Ryseva. Startseva may go to Moscow (if Romanova is still injured), Uralochka, or abroad.
What's Efimova's injury? I was wondering why she wasn't participating.
Efimova has no injuries, she trains with her team Leningradka
I guess Lazareva will also participate in the reception, like Goncharova at the Olympics
Just 12 players?
I don't mind taking young players (oddly no young liberos...) but I wish they had taken at least one player who can receive... Kapustina, Smirnova, Lazareva, Fedorovtseva and Kadochkina are all about equally bad in reception and the liberos are not the best receiver either. I guess Kapustina will be a starter since she is the only player who is used to receive a lot of balls (she received last season more balls then the all other NT players together...). I think they need a really good start in the first game to build conficence otherwise the tournament could get ugly... And I am pretty sure that Lazareva won't be the only player on OPP. Smirnova looked better at the VNL.
What's the point of taking only 12 players? Is Russian federation too poor to cover 2 extra player's flight tickets?😂
I agree with ignorans on this, I also don't mind taking young players, but when all this is done with a plan, it works very well indeed, not randomly. Everyone almost says that the setters reach their peak at the age of 28-30, and when you take a 19 yo girl , you limit your team because you have 2 setters in the team, if one of them is young and experienced, you will be forced to play with one setter , no matter how she plays , you will depend on one setter, even if she is off. This is still a big mystery to me, Kotova and Enina didn't play in VNL and all of sudden, why Kotova was included in the team with three days left until the Ech. It is obvious that they don't have enough time to adapt the team, and the team chemistry is important and you can't do it during 3-4 days. When you have an opportunity to take 14 players to Ech, why 12 players? I don't want to go into details, it is what it is.
Kapustina will indeed need to work overtime again on reception
I agree with ignorans on this, I also don't mind taking young players, but when all this is done with a plan, it works very well indeed, not randomly. Everyone almost says that the setters reach their peak at the age of 28-30, and when you take a 19 yo girl , you limit your team because you have 2 setters in the team, if one of them is young and experienced, you will be forced to play with one setter , no matter how she plays , you will depend on one setter, even if she is off. This is still a big mystery to me, Kotova and Enina didn't play in VNL and all of sudden, why Kotova was included in the team with three days left until the Ech. It is obvious that they don't have enough time to adapt the team, and the team chemistry is important and you can't do it during 3-4 days. When you have an opportunity to take 14 players to Ech, why 12 players? I don't want to go into details, it is what it is.
It's tricky too. If Kotova and Enina didn't do well, it's easy to assume they weren't good enough and should be dropped from NT.
Also agree that there should be veteran in reception in Russia's lineup. Seems like no one in the team is stable in receiving, even the libero. The team is fresh and exciting but lacks stability. It's easy for a team this young to fail miserably.
