• Yes, but what did the setter (Drzyzga) have to do with it?

    IMO he is the weak link. Zakza works really well this season. IMO Toniutti made a lot of impact.

  • From this young Italian squad, the only ones who I see making it to the main squad in a near future is Galassi, Sbertoli and Michieletto. I dont consider Balaso, cuz he is already NT starting 6 material since some seasons ago.

    But to be honest, I dont see who could replace Osmany once he retires. Micchieletto as OH2 is just a good deal, cuz he has a decent reception for his age and, of course, a huge room for improvement, but the talent is there.

    Nelli should use this tournment in order to show he could be the second OPP, but so far his performance is :gone: He is one of the players with more experience in this young squad. It would be nice to see Pinalli in the next matches.

    I might be very wrong, but I honestly do not see Italy maintaining a good level once Osmany and Ivan retire. Even these you mentioned are just... okay? Michieletto has big potential, but it's gonna be a while until he reaches his best form I think.

  • IMO he is the weak link. Zakza works really well this season. IMO Toniutti made a lot of impact.

    Of, course he did. Zaksa was a perfect machine, a very technical team. The Polish NT is a completely different team, they have big cannons and therefore, they can play a different kind of volleyball. Drzyzga is not the best setter in the world, no doubt about it, but he is twice the world champion. Speaks for itself. If Leon is the only deciding factor why didn't Perugia win anything this season?

  • Of, course he did. Zaksa was a perfect machine, a very technical team. The Polish NT is a completely different team, they have big cannons and therefore, they can play a different kind of volleyball. Drzyzga is not the best setter in the world, no doubt about it, but he is twice the world champion. Speaks for itself. If Leon is the only deciding factor why didn't Perugia win anything this season?

    Poland hast won anything since Leon arrived either. That was just not my point.

  • I might be very wrong, but I honestly do not see Italy maintaining a good level once Osmany and Ivan retire. Even these you mentioned are just... okay? Michieletto has big potential, but it's gonna be a while until he reaches his best form I think.


    I agree with you. I feel Italy will struggle a lot once Juantorena and Zaytsev retire. They dont have a proper replacement and the gap is really huge. Sure, they were/are world class player, so it is difficult to fill their shoes, but the ones who come behind them arent bad players, they are just okish. The only one who I see with a big potential is Michieletto. As you pointed out, it would still take a while until he fully blossoms.

    OPP position is way more "worrying" for me. Vettori, Nelli, Argenta and Pinali are nowhere close to Zaytsev level, despite of Ivan performance has been dropping post Rio.

    Italy is still solid in setter + libero and slowly bringing good MBS (thought I still think they havent developed any top MB since Mastrangelo retired). Thought not sure if it would be enough in order to be a medal contendor in the big stages.

    At the end, last Italian gold medal in an intercontinental competition was in WL 2003 or 04, in Rome. Then, a lot of silvers and bronzes.

  • Martinez who was an OH yesterday is playing as libero today for Argentina. Guess they didn't want to stick with Mendez.

  • Never mind, Mendez is now the other OH. They just switched.

  • Poland hast won anything since Leon arrived either. That was just not my point.

    I got your point and you may even be right that Drzyzga is the weakest link in the Polish NT but not because he is over-relying on Leon (That was your original argument). However, he is capable of playing really well, at least well enough to win WCH.

  • I agree with you. I feel Italy will struggle a lot once Juantorena and Zaytsev retire. They dont have a proper replacement and the gap is really huge. Sure, they were/are world class player, so it is difficult to fill their shoes, but the ones who come behind them arent bad players, they are just okish. The only one who I see with a big potential is Michieletto. As you pointed out, it would still take a while until he fully blossoms.

    OPP position is way more "worrying" for me. Vettori, Nelli, Argenta and Pinali are nowhere close to Zaytsev level, despite of Ivan performance has been dropping post Rio.

    Italy is still solid in setter + libero and slowly bringing good MBS (thought I still think they havent developed any top MB since Mastrangelo retired). Thought not sure if it would be enough in order to be a medal contendor in the big stages.

    At the end, last Italian gold medal in an intercontinental competition was in WL 2003 or 04, in Rome. Then, a lot of silvers and bronzes.

    Yep, I agree completely. Setters and liberos are good, but the other positions are very, very thin. The guys from the latest youth teams might develop into good players, but aside from Michieletto, I don't think there's anyone that's catching too much attention... As for the MBs, they're fine with Piano, Anzani and one out of Mazzone, Galassi, Ricci and Russo, but neither of these are comparable to their Brazilian, Polish or Russian counterparts. Meanwhile, Russia and Poland have deep squads, while Brazilian and the USA still have some new players popping up now and then in almost every position.

  • I agree with you. I feel Italy will struggle a lot once Juantorena and Zaytsev retire. They dont have a proper replacement and the gap is really huge. Sure, they were/are world class player, so it is difficult to fill their shoes, but the ones who come behind them arent bad players, they are just okish. The only one who I see with a big potential is Michieletto. As you pointed out, it would still take a while until he fully blossoms.

    OPP position is way more "worrying" for me. Vettori, Nelli, Argenta and Pinali are nowhere close to Zaytsev level, despite of Ivan performance has been dropping post Rio.

    IMO, Italy is making tons of good, promising OHs, Opps, and setters lately in the youth categories, but so far they haven't made any great MB... in the system Italy plays, they need scoring MBs like Simon, Musersky, Mastrangelo, or even Buti :whistle:


    Lavia, Michieletto, Rinaldi, Stefani, and Cantagalli could make a nice team in the future. BTW, they should avoid making short hitters like Gamba and Recine.

  • Btw guys, what do you expect for the last match of the day?

    I think Brazil could close it in 4 (maybe 3 if the OH duo is Lucarelli-Douglas), but it would be a tight score. I would be surprised if USA brings the match to the tie-break.

  • Btw guys, what do you expect for the last match of the day?

    I think Brazil could close it in 4 (maybe 3 if the OH duo is Lucarelli-Douglas), but it would be a tight score. I would be surprised if USA brings the match to the tie-break.

    I agree in every respect. Without Russell and with Sander in not such good shape 3:0 is quite likely, maybe 3:1 for Brazil.

  • Btw guys, what do you expect for the last match of the day?

    I think Brazil could close it in 4 (maybe 3 if the OH duo is Lucarelli-Douglas), but it would be a tight score. I would be surprised if USA brings the match to the tie-break.

    I think Brazil has what it takes to do it in 3, even with Leal-Lucarelli. But Muagututia might help the USA pull another upset like he likes to do against Brazil, so I can't be certain about anything lol

  • I got your point and you may even be right that Drzyzga is the weakest link in the Polish NT but not because he is over-relying on Leon (That was your original argument). However, he is capable of playing really well, at least well enough to win WCH.

    I dont want to mean that Leon has receiving a lot of sets. Polish team needs him as a player to make impact on big stage. Serbia was a mixed team today and if wasnt for Leon, IMO things could have not been ended well for polish side.

  • USA's game is always dangerous to Brazil.

  • IMO, Italy is making tons of good, promising OHs, Opps, and setters lately in the youth categories, but so far they haven't made any great MB... in the system Italy plays, they need scoring MBs like Simon, Musersky, Mastrangelo, or even Buti :whistle:


    Lavia, Michieletto, Rinaldi, Stefani, and Cantagalli could make a nice team in the future. BTW, they should avoid making short hitters like Gamba and Recine.

    You're being too generous with italian opposites.


    I don't think there are prospects out there who are prepared to play in superlega right now.


    Cantagalli also plays in A2. In Superlega I never saw him play in backrow so I can't tell how good he is against bigger teams. He's still young but playing in A2 should have stunted his growth especially during the pandemic season.


    About Recine. I know he is small for an OH but he's a smart hitter. I don't know how will this translate in NT but in club level, he is a nice addition for those who want quality italians that aren't libero, OH or setter.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • It's only the start of NT season, you just can't say much.

    Neither did Serbia play their best nor with its best squad, therefore they didn't push Poland, so maybe the polish guys would show more had it been required, but I agree that today's match wasn't really inspiring. Yeah, Leon served the hell out of it but we all know he won't do that every match. Kurek especially seemed a bit out of rythm

  • Seems like Argentina is struggling against the physicality of the canadians.


    I expected a better fight but I guess this is how it should be without a real opposite and a natural libero leading to two OHs having to play both positions.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Do people still remember Daenan Gyimah, the canadian MB with crazy athletic leap?


    Where is he? Is he a DJ or rapper or whatever he is doing right now?

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney