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Posts by Kk15

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    ps about the check in the second, I think China attack was called out, then China called the check for net invasion, which wasn't correct (hair dosen't count), so it was Italian point (or so we believed), but it was replayed.


    Thanks China for the rotation fault ^^

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    wow, that set was intense, despite a bit too many mistakes!

    It was almost point to point but Italy couldn't close the gap China got at 13-10, they got at -1 like 3 Times but it never evened the score.


    Egonu a bit off this set (and a bit conservative in the first), but I don't understand why we've never used the MBs this set... it was going well in the first and we did have several opportunities, despite suffering a bit in reception.

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    Quote from samsara

    I guess it's because the Italian team was the hot favourite to win the SF against the Chinese team in the 2014 WCH. Moreover the host team already beat CHN in the earlier group match... so who might think the team could beat the host?

    And as usual practice, the tickets were sold out much in advance... the home crowd did think their team would play in the final. So bought already, just enjoyed the match :whistle:

    Well, then we should believe Japan fans didn't even bought in advance the final 6 tickets, because the third day the hall was empty.

    Unless they don't like to waste money...


    I mean, for me this is exactly the point: you should host the competitions in a country that will buy in advance the tickets of the last phases... and then attent its despite the teams playing.

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    Quote from Insider

    If China wins gold, Zhu Ting will be the only player to win MVP for all 3 (4 if you include world champion cup) majors. And Lang Ping will be the only one to win all 3 majors as a player and as a couch.

    I don't know: with 3 great opposites playing, even in case of China victory they may consider to award two opposites (one as MVP, one as opposite) and to give Zhu a 'normal' best OH...


    Of course I hope we'll never have to find out what happen if China'd win :P

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    I kept saying how unfair it was to have the 5th-6th final as last match, and that at least Italy has the match at 9.10 am (in Italy) and not at 6.40 am as Serbia and Ned... But now I would be glad if Italy would have played at 3.40 in the night, I can't wait!!! :lol:

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    So, we'll have a semifinal that is the replay of the ECh final, and the other one that is the replay of the 2014 semifinal (I hope with a different outcome, obviously!).


    Plus, 3 of the 4 finalist in Rio are present, with Italy replacing USA.


    Curious to notice that in the last 3 final4 of major international events, the % of European teams is increasing: 25% in the WCh2014 (Italy, with China-USA-Brazil – now that I think of it, it was a very continents-balanced final4!); 50% in Rio (Ned and Serbia, with China and USA); 75% here, with China being the only constant. Kudos to them!



    For Friday, I would bet on Serbia beating Ned (of course nothing is impossible at this level!); the other match seems more balanced to me, but China is more used to win the important matches so they probably have an advantages (the previous match doesn't count for me: in case, I would say that repeat a victory against a top team is often harder than winning the first time).


    I hope the final4 will be of the highest level, even if at the end of a very long and exhausting competition (13 matches – practically half a championship season – in such a short period time!). At least there were a decent amount of day of stop...



    Last (egoistic) consideration: I'm very sorry the semifinal will be a that time and on Friday: a match at 12.20 on Saturday (but also at 9.10, after all) would have had much more visibility in Italy, and regardless the next results, the girls really earned that visibility and love.


    EDIT: Matthias, we were writing similar consideration at the same time ^^

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    Another 'meaningless' match with all the titulars in: it's curious how women took a completely different path that men.


    Is it possibile that's just because there are two days of rest between this match and the semi?


    Ps I think China always want to win (if the opponents are compliant, ofc)! I wouldn't call it vanity at all...

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    The hall is still empty, what a disappointment. Didn't Japan fams bought the tickets in advantages?


    They should put the 5th-6th final match before the two finals on Saturday, if they want people to be there for the main event...

  • 2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    Congrats Serbia! Very effective and all-around.


    For Italy, a defeat that personally doesn't feel bad: Serbia proved to be stronger as expected, and in case we'll meet them again (I hope so, it will mean we are in the final!), is good that we didn't won today: winning twice vs Serbia is impossible, but may be once it's possible ;)

    [I hope it make sense!]


    And as I said yesterday, every team is meant to have a bad game-day (which I still think was yesterday for us), and now I add that every team is also meant to lose (at least) a game: I hope that with these two days Italy covered that all :P