Japan - V.League V1 (Division 1, Women) 2021-2022

    Quote from brahmin

    Like I told you, Denso dropping of their "stars" is going to affect this team. Nabeya, Inoue and Plummer. This team is not making the playoffs as they have cut salary. Seriously, NT roster players get cut in a domestic league. If they get relegated (doubt it), I know which GM is getting fired.

    It's certainly going to affect them but I still think they will be okay, in an odd way. A real test for Matsui. She's got at least one good MB and Kudo.


    I get the feeling you've seen this story before, though, so I will likely be eating crow later :lol:

    Quote from sitenoise

    It's certainly going to affect them but I still think they will be okay, in an odd way. A real test for Matsui. She's got at least one good MB and Kudo.


    I get the feeling you've seen this story before, though, so I will likely be eating crow later :lol:

    it would be one thing if it had been a couple of years since they were on the NT. They were on this year. Still capable of playing some role even starting.

    This coming season will be all about retirement. But hopefully in Saga Ishii doesn't retire yet and let Nagaoka exit with Sakae. There's always some huge drama whenever 2 aces exit the club and that's the last thing those 2 need. Nomoto can exit with Ishii.

    Quote from brahmin

    it would be one thing if it had been a couple of years since they were on the NT. They were on this year. Still capable of playing some role even starting.

    Now that I think about it, NT people Okumura and Kotoe left JT after 17/18. Then it took JT a year to win a Championship. Maybe all it takes to win is for Kotoe to leave your team :rolll: ... some low hanging fruit for the Kotoe haters :)


    Then again, maybe they just had to wait for Brankica to leave a year later


    If Denso hires a foreign terminator (I guess there aren't many left, tho), they don't any bench, but this is a reasonable lineup:


    Matsui / Kudou

    Okumura / Yokota

    SWP Nakamoto / Tokoku

    libero


    Nakamoto is an odd bird. She doesn't look like a volleyball player to me , but her numbers have been as good as anyone's on the team for the past couple years. She's not much help when push comes to shove but maybe since there is really no Final Stage this year she'll never feel the pressure and choke.

    I just noticed Denso have their version of Yoshino Sato (MB in HS) listed as OH. She's kind of slow and bulky, but 183cm might help. This will be interesting to witness --if it really happens


    btw - This is the real Yoshino Sato. Tsukuba style :rose:

    Quote from haru_12

    OH NOO SANAE AND YURIE ;( my seagull heart 💔

    This is so Seagull heartbreaking re: Sanae. She's a traitor. I'm going to pretend it's not real


    So ...

    OP = Mikoto Shima, Melissa Valdes, Saki Goya, Sanae Watanabe - WTF? Saki, at least, has to transfer hope the heck out of there

    OH = Minami Takaso, Captain Ayaka Horiguchi, Yuri Nabeya, (and a few others we can forget about now)


    The OH position is cool af, but Mikoto Shima also moved over there this summer to make room for Melissa, so it's going to be a fight for that spot. Mikoto is a good player. I wanted to see her grow


    #gogoPFU :super:

    Quote from brahmin

    Actually good move. PFU has improved significantly. Whether it get them in the top 8 teams is another story.

    They make top 8 for sure, knocking Denso out :rolll:

    Quote from AusAVO

    Does anyone know about the young star from Vietnam will be playing for PFU Blue Cats this year?

    I think you're referring to 4T, although maybe another Viet player I deleted from vBox before taking this screencap:


    I need a hug. I'm not sure why or what exactly for but I'm feeling huggy

    Quote from Hassan Kadem

    Who's PFU's foreign player?

    It's not clear if Melissa technically counts as a foreigner, probably not because she went to HS in Japan. There were 4T rumors but that's gotta be out the window now. They are going to be the most exciting team in V.League :super: