she's just as tall as Carol
I know this reference would come up 
Carol has very long arms tho, her standing reach plus her jumping ability makes her blocking very high. High enough to go against all the best attackers in the world. Not every short MB is bless with that kind of arm and jumping ability. Maybe she is the only one.
I know this reference would come up
Carol has very long arms tho, her standing reach plus her jumping ability makes her blocking very high. High enough to go against all the best attackers in the world. Not every short MB is bless with that kind of arm and jumping ability. Maybe she is the only one.
responding here cause it's going a bit off topic on the other thread
I know it's not exactly the same thing but she's proving to be very technical and has very good block timing, so regardless of her height I think she would be the best choice as 4th MB in the national team at least for now, also because she can be extremely useful as serving sub. It's not like she would be starting every game and Chirichella rarely goes above being ok nowadays
Also talking about MB for the future, LInda Manfredini (2006) is playing so good this season in A2, her attacks are so effective and she's attacking a lot (usally more than the opposite and one of the OH of her team). She needs to improve her block but considering she's not even 17 she's looking so promising
she's playing at what club?
She was outstanding at u17
she's playing at what club?
She was outstanding at u17
Sassuolo in A2. She is indeed the wonder kid, the MB1 prospect that Italian NT needs. Go see her match you would be impressed. She is the leading scorer among all MBs in A2, 80 pts in advantage compared to runner up. And she is not even 17 y/o.
I know this reference would come up
Carol has very long arms tho, her standing reach plus her jumping ability makes her blocking very high. High enough to go against all the best attackers in the world. Not every short MB is bless with that kind of arm and jumping ability. Maybe she is the only one.
Not only Carol, Juiciely, Adenizia, Gioli, etc. Squarcini does have a chance in the NT in a merit based setting but Mazantti is not like that.
responding here cause it's going a bit off topic on the other thread
I know it's not exactly the same thing but she's proving to be very technical and has very good block timing, so regardless of her height I think she would be the best choice as 4th MB in the national team at least for now, also because she can be extremely useful as serving sub. It's not like she would be starting every game and Chirichella rarely goes above being ok nowadays
I am all for her to be a serving sub. But as long as we/Mazzanti is still distinguish MB1 and MB2, Chirichella is not the one standing in her way. She played MB2 most of the time if not all the time, she have to compete with Danesi and Bonifacio, or even Farh to make it in the NT. IMO, NT still needs MB1 to run slide, Chirichella and Lubian are suited for this role. It makes more sense to discuss if Lubian will replace Chirichella rather than Squarcini.
Yes, Italy has lot of MB prospects, but most of them are suited for MB2, even Nwakalor plays MB2 in the league tho she played MB1 in the U-team.
I think Manfredini will be at senior NT very soon, she is a strong MB1 and there's not lot of competition for her.
Lubian's ceiling is way higher than Chirichella so case closed for me. You certainly don't need two if you insist on having a slider just in system.
Among the top 8 teams in seria A, only Chirichella and Stufi are playing MB1 full time, Lubian is on and off court. The reality is that Italian MBs are terrible at sliding, so most clubs hire foreign to do the job.
Good news is that there are young generation who are good at slide, such as Atamah (2005) and Manfredini (2006).
I am not even Chirichella's fan but i think some are being unfair and mean to her. It's not like Chirichella's starting/being in the NT drags the team down. Every time Italian NT flops, it's either because the messy OH or terrible setter and sometime Paola's performance or the status of whole team.
She is decent when the whole team is in good form, ie 2018 WCH 2021ECH and 2022VNL. When the team is underperforming, she is not good too, just as other starting players.
Let's wait and see what the NT will do with her and Squarcini.
Display MoreTo summerize some of the posts above:
1. Chirichella is bad in every apsect;
2. She kept her position because of luck;
3. The coaches are too dumm to see how bad she is and how good the other girls are.
End of the discussion!
Truth was spoken
Truth was spoken
I put it in the wrong thread. But it was sarcastic.
Good news is that there are young generation who are good at slide, such as Atamah (2005) and Manfredini (2006).
They have the potential, but also need time to grow. Gardini played really well last season in A2, but at the beginning of her first season in A1, she struggled.
MB's attacking sometimes really depends on the setter. Akinradewo's slide attack was definitely one of the best, but the connection between her and new generation USA setter was not that good. It degraded her attacking. Other examples are: Danesi-Cambi, very good connection and attacking upgrading; Veljkovic-Carlini, bad connection and reduced attacking power.
They have the potential, but also need time to grow. Gardini played really well last season in A2, but at the beginning of her first season in A1, she struggled.
MB's attacking sometimes really depends on the setter. Akinradewo's slide attack was definitely one of the best, but the connection between her and new generation USA setter was not that good. It degraded her attacking. Other examples are: Danesi-Cambi, very good connection and attacking upgrading; Veljkovic-Carlini, bad connection and reduced attacking power.
sure of course.
They need time to grow so no rush. Good to see a 16 y/o kid scoring ton of pts in A2 tho. 
BTW, Manfredini serves like Lubian and Squarcini, hybrid serve. She will be popular in A1 market in a fews years.
Mazzanti clearly wants MB1 to play slide.
He started with Danesi (MB1) and Fahr (MB2) in Tokyo - it was certainly interesting to see Danesi slide
If Folie isn't that injury prone and doesn't have bad knees, IMO she is/was the best MB1 candidate
Chirichella underrated
Someone here said a while ago that she is not as bad as people make her up to be, which I think is fair. But in no way is she underrated, she seems to always be a starter wherever she goes, NT as well, even became captain magically
But her performance rarely shows greatness that her role suggests, she rarely seems to outperform the people that bench for her, certainly not enough where it justifies her continuous starter position.
She is overly criticized because she is so average and overrated. Even in the U tournaments I remember her being worse than some Turkish mediocre MBs which shows how much chances she's been given and how much she has improved, which is great, however those chances simply could have been given to other, more talented players as well imo. There certainly is no scarcity in Italy for MBs.
You can criticize her current form but at youth and junior NT competitions she was a beast and with C. Bosetti, she was best player of 1994 generation of Italy. She even made it to senior NT earlier than c. Bosetti as starter.
I agree that her strength is being versatile. She is not one of those MBs like Vuckhova who can't attack but is a beast blocker or Heyrman who can attack but can't block. She does everything a bit more than decent + she can do slides. Bonifacio is not her backup, she is more of Danesi's backup. But Lubian should be prepared to take over Chirichella's starting position starting from this vnl.
I have been a huge Fahr fan but poor girl has been very unlucky with serious injuries. Let's see how quick she will be back to her pre-injury shape. I hope she won't end up to be an injury player like Folie.
I wouldn't write off Squarcini just because she is short. As mentioned before, she is as tall as Carol. Also Italy has short MBs in their NT before, Paola Paggi who did a good job.
Not only Carol, Juiciely, Adenizia, Gioli, etc. Squarcini does have a chance in the NT in a merit based setting but Mazantti is not like that.
They are not as short as Squarcini though
Juciely 184
Gioli 185
Adenizia 187
Carol is really an exception in international volleyball
Today the first hearing in the TAS will be held on the question "Antropova vs FIVB vs VFR"...
At the same time, rumors confirm that the girl has started the procedures for applying for Italian citizenship...
In case of a ruling by the TAS favorable to the athlete, once she has obtained citizenship, Antropova can be called up immediately to the Italian national team...
Adigwe is doing fine and keeps improving 
Already looking forward to WCH U18 this year, this batch has some good talents in setter, OH, MB and Opp. Pity that Adigwe couldn't grow few inches taller but she could still be good opp one day as long as she has the technics. I have higher expectation for her than Ituma.......
Adigwe is doing fine and keeps improving
Adwige is a possible prospect, but I think her ability to make the leap into real volleyball is linked to her moving to position 4: if the girl has the technical skills to put up sufficient reception, she could have chances...
Ituma instead, she has a devastating physical potential, but she doesn't improve technically and, above all, mentally: at present she is still a work in progress and perhaps she will remain so... Staying as a backup in a top team won't help her: she should have the intelligence or the humility to get involved in a team with lesser ambitions to gain experience in the field...
Adwige is a possible prospect, but I think her ability to make the leap into real volleyball is linked to her moving to position 4: if the girl has the technical skills to put up sufficient reception, she could have chances...
Ituma instead, she has a devastating physical potential, but she doesn't improve technically and, above all, mentally: at present she is still a work in progress and perhaps she will remain so... Staying as a backup in a top team won't help her: she should have the intelligence or the humility to get involved in a team with lesser ambitions to gain experience in the field...
TBH, I think she will stick to Opp and improve. She was the best Opp/Attacker in European U17 with insanely high spike rate. We will see her performance in the upcoming WCH U18 to judge more. Maybe she won't become the elite Opp like the top 4 due to her height, but she has the potential to become one good opp, maybe like Rivers.
I have been following Ituma's step for few years and have to admit that her blossom seem far away. Maybe she will just remain how she is and turn into Battista 2.0. (also a MVP of European U19, doesn't have the technic to play Opp, yet couldn't receive to play OH ). It's hard to believe at the age of 18 she still doesn't figure out how to play Opp, even with that devastating physicality. Crazy to think that few years back some medias say she would be the second Paola.
