Posts by Rains

Lorenzetti made grave errors with his substitution(using van Garderen and keeping Vettori) while Verona especially Spirito played very well. I don't know if Codarin's lacking experience the biggest factor but Spirito made use of it by exploiting single blocks that made it hard for Trento to defend. Codarin still played good for a replacement for Lisinac but when a setter is in the zone, the MBs have to be take over the game.

kyle7in1 wrote:

So far, Lube's transfers in this season: Bruno and Simon are good deals, but Leal was a bad one. I think if Lube keeps Sander other than buying Leal, they would be very competitive, either in Superlega or CL.

Personally, I still believe Christenson is the biggest what-if for Lube. Not Candellaro nor Sander and Grebennikov(although Grebennikov's the second biggest what-if for me).

I am a big fan of Bruno but changing your setter is the strangest decision Lube have ever made during the whole mess in Modena-Ngapeth-Stoychev Saga.

We do have arguments and agreements here about Christenson's decision-making but I still see him as a plus over Bruno because while the latter played a very good final four and is considerably a better setter during crucial times, Christenson is "in my opinion" a better volleyball player because of his athleticism and height.

I also find Lube's reception not the worst factor with their constant defeat to Perugia.

Perugia is simply a better serving team and i feel Superlega clubs just can't figure out Leon's serve yet.

The two skills are tied to one another but serve is a weapon you can never count on the men's game to be this consistently a factor in winning matches. It's mostly about the number of serving errors and atleast two or three aces for the winners but not double or at its worst triple!!! It's just not possible but Leon is bending the impossible to reality and that's personally for me even with Sander can really do anything. Someone have to suffer like Grebennikov did in their defeats during the final.

I am mostly disappointed with Leal's attacking... That's absurd in my opinion. From a genuine attacking threat for Sada Cruzeiro to something 30%. Just unacceptable especially if you aren't receiving very well and even with negative reception, he should atleast do better than 40%. It's not like they have a Vettori as their opposite.

Maybe he would've done better with Christenson... That's my what if. Bruno is a great setter and I love his passion but it's like fitting a square to a triangle slot. If they got Lucas... It could've been a different look for Lube and while Simon can do all sort of different things in attack, his connection is just unbelievable with Lucas.

There are also many things a taller setter can do that Bruno can't. On this year of easy service aces for the standard of Superlega, a tall setter could probably fix a reception mistake and set faster to position four without losing consistency like Bruno have not done during awful reception.

Just my two cents.

I think people aren't as convinced because Alan plays with the magician.

William's about to hit his 40s and expecting him to play beyond 2020 is just crazy and if Alan wants to prove himself... he needs to go abroad or to another team to measure him against the other opposites.

I just think Lube lost all concentration in the latter sets.

It hurts that Juantorena is already too old.

It also doesn't make sense to me not to use Kovar as an additional opposite who can receive.

This is the same point where Lube lost in last season.

The 6 service ace vs 12 of Perugia practically made it to tiebreak mostly on Leon. His serving is just on another level. You can't say that's luck if it's happening all the time.

When you're serving like that... It's just hard to come back for an opponent as it's easier to score from reception than during serving unless you can do the same or if their defense absorbs the pressure which Lube with their tired legs and aging bodies... just can't possibly overcome. Not to mention the lack of confidence in themselves. It's just an avalanche and they have to figure it out as taking down Trentino, Modena or Perugia in up to five games when the playoffs come is harder without a youth core.

Simon made Lanza looked good.

Let's go orange wrote:

I would love to see Balkestein-Grothues play in the Brazilian league! In my opinion it is a good fit, because she is so passionated, just as most of the Brazilian players are.

I would love to see this but the dutch is a lefty and that might become a problem for her as Brazil plays too fast. Maybe she can play opposite and receive for Kosheleva. God only knows how it'll work but that's more promising than Monique as a receiver.

andrea wrote:

Leal's reception has been disastrous throughout the season. His value can only be maximized when his team has a receiving opposite like Zaytsev. How did he fare so well in Brazil? Perhaps the standard there is not as high, especially the serving component?

Ferraz and Sergio weren't considered for the NT so they were mostly about the club along with Leal so I feel they were healthier than the players of Brazil after NT.

Another point is the lack of tall setters for Brazil and there's not a lot of clubs acquiring foreign setters of more than 190 cm.

Most teams in Brazil are defensive minded. I feel like Sada is the only team in Brazil that plays european as they are set up with one powerful OH and a defensive OH as duo.

Correct me if im wrong but brazilian clubs usually goes with two defensive OHs to use the MBs more frequently than in Europe as they rely more on the wings than they do for a well-distributed offensive system.

For Sada, having Leal is a great option as there's not a lot of teams with tall setters anymore and having a player like Leal is great when you can score against smaller blocks.

Lastly, Brazilian clubs usually have one MB for serving and another as float server.

I think Sada have two jump topspin servers with Eder or Isac and Simon when he was still with them and now it's Le Roux who is a great server when he's in form.

So weaker serving teams aren't going to push off Sada easily when they can't do the same to them. It's not always true but serve is not that key component because of the two defensive OHs but can be crucial when you need them in a tight game.

But for me... I feel blocking is more an issue for Superliga than the serve.

I don't think Balaso's reception will improve that significantly. He lacks the roundedness with his body and he's too muscular for the typical libero.

Some of the best liberos I feel are capable of playing soccer and they're not even that buff. Maybe I'm wrong and I hope I'm wrong. Dude's fit but not flexible enough to play as we hope or expect him to be for the good of italian volleyball.

Yall sleeping on Ricci, not a lot of blocks but boy Simon and Diamantini can't pin him down.

Now Blengini will have to play Lanza all the time.

Bruno is back to himself. Forcing to Sokolov with a low ball.

Leal's only good when serving. Maybe Kovar should be starting.

This is over for Lube.

Can someone in FIVB handicap Leon to serve only float?

Lube.

Leal is killing Lube and Atanasijevic and Leon are about to serve.

Leon's first serve is not showing good signs for this set. If Lube can keep him to a minimum serve attempts, they can win.

scarpetta wrote:

I think it was going out. Sokolov as the fourth defender is a terrible idea

It's Leon. We give him respect when he's on the service line.

Bruno is giving everyone headache with his serve even the match against Trentino.

Was that serve supposed to go outside?

But unfortunately, risking Leon's serve to go out is not some 50% quack science especially on his first serve.