Posts by Leonardo.D

Quote from Gomes

Sad because the team didnt play what they could. Happy for Ana Cristina and for the NT Future. This Young Italiano team Lost tô Brazil NT in WGP 2017.

This team Brazil NT hás more Future than the team who won WGP 2017.

Exactly! First of all, Congrats to Italy, the first non USA-BRA team to win the VNL (WGP) since the Netherlands (Flier ) in 2007. Another milestone. They only lost 1 set in this final round, which is indeed impressive. Nevertheless, I do think there are still room for improvement: Bosetti and Pietrini arent still 100% healthy, but if they manage to reach that level by WCH, this will be really scary. About Egonu, nothing more to add: best spiker, top scorer, best server. I would also add: Chirichella is so overrated. Folie would be such an add to this team. Main problem are still the the setters.

For Brazil, as well as for Serbia, only hats off and many claps. The silver is just the first step for the bright future of this new generation. As Gomes pointed out, this reminds a lot the WGP 17: a way more experienced Brazil against a talented, but young Italy. Egonu was just 18 back then. That match was way tighter than this (finished in tie-break). After that silver, Italy only grew grew and grew and got that unexpected WCH 2018 silver. I do really hope it would be the same for Brazil: sky is the limit. Many of us feared that after the golden generation Brazil would struggle a lot, actually they did for a while (outside top6 last WCH), but then they quickly bounced back

Santarelli congratulating and hugging every single player before the medals: a total complete change of atmosphere. It is nice to see this after so many years of "coldness".

Quote from Genius of the Sky

Just wondering if Turkey wasn’t the host will they qualify by merit?

If Im not wrong, Turkey finished 6th during the preliminary round. So they would have qualified no matter what, even without being hosts.

Congrats Serbia, really, this bronze medal tastes like gold for them. They have totally overachieved. Not only by eliminating USA, but all also the whole performance in the Final 6, including the loss against Brazil (Brazilian style complicates a lot Serbia). Simply whow, hats off for the players and especially Santarelli. There were some moments, especially during the transitiosn, that Serbia looked very similar to Conegliano: high volume, everybody committed in defence and recycling the ball.

Sara Lozo with 62% spike efficiency, just wow

In the other hand, TUR with zero sets in the last two matches is just...a shame. Especially for the fans.

Cansu has just noticed that she needs to keep feeding her MBs in order to continue this match. Even though both TUR MBs are so good in attack, Serbian block arent following them: they go straigh to the pins.

Comparing this match with the epic ECH 2019 final is like day and night. Turkiye's core is basically the same, much more if we check the bench. Plus same coach. While Serbia is almost complete new: no Maja, Boskovic, Popovic, Veljkovic, Brankica nor Popovic (L). The only one is Busa.

Santarelli definitely isnt just telling to target the weaker receivers.

Quote from Genius of the Sky

Something tells me Egonu gonna get MVP again 😂

I fear that no matter what the result of the final, Egonu could get MVP. Her contribution in the finals has been just...out of this world. And currently she is the best spiker, top scorer and best server. Plus, after Danesi, the best Italian blocker.

Quote from denzz

I don't see any of Turkish players getting any kind of awards. Not with this performance

They are the hosts, they reached SFs. I would be highly surprised if TUR doesnt get an award. For me Cansu was a serioust contender for the best setter, award, but her performance yesterday was Against THA she had superb moments, but her lows against Italy were really low.

Eda and Zehra were also amazing during the preliminary round, same against THA, but Zehra tends to disappear in key matches. Besides these 3 players, I do not see any other with a slight chance to get an indiivual award.

I have just noticed that Lozo, Milenkovic, Aleksic and Boskovic are all from the same generation And if Im not wrong, Serbia didnt finish in a good position in that youth WCH, maybe top 8 at max.

Quote from sitenoise

Reception shank masterclass

From both teams

Stevanovic is eating Tugba alive Spikes or tips, Stefana is blocking all.

Congrats Italy, but Turkey was It is one of these matches where I ask myself: Why Neriman! Why! Same as Tokyo. I keep thinking the same: if we mix all current Turkish OHs in a blender, the result is not even one shoe of top Oszoy. And I dont mean her top some years, ago, but what she showed in the last matches of the Brazilian league.

I have posted this many times, but Turkey confirms they are the DOM from Europe. The team of the "almost, almost". They have one of best coaches in the world, raw material, world class players, even above the average one, investment and a good "mine" in youth-junior category, but still not properly taking off.

It's a pity, cuz first of all, an audience, a fan base like this, didnt deserve at all this show. Like, seriously? Not taking merit against Italy, but they actually did enough in order to beat the hosts, it seemed that when Italy wanted, they stepped on the gas pedal and

Maybe is needed to change the sport pyschologist? Cuz there are some players who just disappear in the clutch moments. Against other rivals, they behave like the legendary Cubans, but then

They had a golden chance to make history in Tokyo, but at the end other teams made history thanks to them. Four years ago, they also were between the favs to achieve the final6, but it was another sbam in the face. I dont want to sound harsh, but when you see a team that really has all the potential to be a powerhouse, but always stay in the door; you demand more. Volleyball scene would be more attractive and competitive with another powerhouse (much more now, cuz one in the making, Russia, is banned).

Quote from crovolley

Only one who deserves 100% individual award as player is Monica De Gennaro.

Noone is even closer to her.

Definitely. Making a comparison with Castillo, I see that Moki is changing, developing and innovating the libero position for good. Castillo was a complete revolution: libero didnt mean only digging and digging or merely receiving, but also being vocal, the organiser/leader of the defence, a complete second setter (well, Castillo did/does this more cuz DOM setters , especially Echenique), covering (the queen in this element, etc. Moki has added the change of rhythm during transitions: her underarm sets to the MBs are , not only cuz they are bold, but also crazy accurate. And not only when Italy is comfy leading, but also in key moments (I remember many during WCH 2018 against China, in the pool phase) and last but not least: communicating tactically. During matches, she openly let Italian blockers know if they are putting the block in the right place, etc.

Sure, her experience gives her this plus, a plus that the rest of liberos in this current tournament doesnt have.

For a position which is usually overshadowed by big hitters, these two libero have helped to bring not only more attention, but also awareness of how important this role is for the sport. Especially to the average vb fan.

Last: for me, my top liberos (legendary) are still Fabi and Yuko Sano. Without being so flashy in defence (many times it isnt needed if you are well positioned), they go the job done (even more than that).

Quote from sloth

Vakifbank didn't stop Egonu in CL finals.. she scored 40 freaking points... Nothing on that game guarantees that Guidetti knows how to stop her.. the only similarity, maybe, is that Italian OH aren't doing that great...

Actually, Guidetti doesnt know how to stop her, even though he has tried his best. In the last CL finals, Egonu didnt only score 39 pts, but her spike effiency was 59%. Last year, she scored 41 pts, effiency 55%. When she was playing in Novara and they beat Vakifbank with Zhu, numbers were similar. Same during the last 3 encounters in WCWC. More than trying to stop Egonu (or praying she has a bad day), it passes to stop one of the OH, especially OH1.

Quote from user

No because no one is killing each other here if this is your example but its exactly my point, being perceived a certain way = not necessarily define what kind of person you are.

Btw this comment is pushing racism and its rich coming from someone like you to judge Turkish people

I do not share any single word of the comment of the user you quoted, but this is not pushing racism at all. What it is pushing xenophobia.

At first sight these two concepts might look similar, but they are not. If we want to fight against them, the best would be to know how to differentiate.

Sorry for

Quote from sitenoise

Were there more teams playing combination volleyball back in the old days before everyone went big?

Japan and South Korea, especially during the 80s. Same as China. As it was pointed out, especially Asian teams. For non Asian teams, Peru (80s-90s, even with the Hybrid 6) and also Brazil.

I also remember Chinese-Taipei (Taiwan) during the WCH 2006. They were such a surprise during the pool phase (beating Japan and Poland with their super fast and combination, even more than Thailand now)! A pleasure to watch, but in the next round, they faded away

As well as the infamous match againt KOR, I do not why TUR fans do not trust enough their players. Honestly, TUR has all the raw material and capacity (bench) to beat THA. But it wont easy. Against teams like THA and JPN, patience is the key factor. And this is more a psychological skill, than technical.

Nothing against THA, one of the most likeable teams, but we all know their limitations.

Quote from Meatballs

If Turkey will serve like this, Thailand will run all the crazy combinations and win the match easily.

Ebrar is like Plummer of Turkey, unfortunately...

TUR isnt pressing at all THA with the service, way too too passive. It is isnt easy to break THA reception or ace them, but at least create confusion between the receivers, changing serves (short ones-close to the net ones, then changing to deep ones, etc). But nope, TUR isnt doing this. Maybe they trust enough in their block (Zehra). But as it was pointed out, Pornpun can display all her magic at any moment.

It is so funny Thailand is being booed since the very first point Any second for resting.

Wow Serbia! Congrats! Totally unexpected!

At the end, Santarelli did a bit more than simply "serving Plummer" We dont have to be petty. Regardless USA underperformed (they were outplayed even in their own "trademark" - Serbia played really fast during/through some sets), Serbia & Santarelli have overarchieved. The tactic paid off. Even Milenkovic was scoring more than often (the blockouts were intentional). Plus, he was very brave to give confidence/trusting on Brankica, who was/is considered almost a retired player for many here.

USA was the current 3time title holder vs Serbia without their main two players and the ones, without taking away merit to the other SRB players, the key factos for the Serbian success in the last years.

Ps: It is so refreshing to see the atmosphere on the SRB bench. It looks way different.

Western world and Western media will be victim of their own hypocrisy, own double standards and false politically correct behaviour. They are behaving and becoming into what they so much proclaim to fight against with: facists.

Embarassing. Cancel culture is such a cancer.

It is like supporting in some extent Putin's game: dividing Europeans.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky — 'It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.'

PS: I really cant believe it is so difficult to be coherent in the so called "developed countries". Once again: violence, aggression, violation against human rights MUST be condemned wherever they come from. Victims, casualties, wounded and lost souls arent worthier than others just becasue they come from a country which is more similar to mine, culture similar to mine, skin colour or political preferences.

I do really hope to see the same union against any violation of HR from any government regardless all the factors above mentioned, otherwise,it would be HYPROCRISY.