When will Gabi's laat match for Vakifbank be?
Their next match, unless THY could be less messy, which is very unlikely.
Posts by KVB
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She is such a unique player that I won't be surprised if she rise from her ashes like KYK did in Tokyo and bring a medal to china. With her return, china become a big contender for the gold! What do you guys think?
Imo China will be one of the medal contenders with Zhu’s return. They have chance for the gold if luck is on their side, but I wouldn’t say they’d become a big contender for the gold medal.
They still have significant weaknesses. Setter is obviously the weakest link. Diao had some good games but her low could be really low. I’m not convinced by the current Ding Xia even as a back up, it’s just a shame that Yao Di previously said that her chapter with the NT was ended (Chinese fans said it’s due to her beef with Cai Bin)
Blocking and attacks on the right side are the other major issues. None of their MBs is good blocker, even though all of them are really tall. Gong is an all-arounder but her attacks have always been on and off. And of course, their biggest flaw is still the coach
Passing might be an issue but I think it’ll be fine. Their libero showed she is one of the best rn, Gong is also a good passer that can also help relieve the reception pressure of Zhu & LYY.
The OG will be a short tournament under the new format. If China is lucky to have all their players playing at their best in that few decisive matches, they will have the chance for gold. But that’s a big IF. -
Zhu Ting announced in her “Weibo” (The Chinese social media) account that she will return to the NT during VNL to help China qualify for Paris.
Here’s the translation (by google) of her statement,“Today, April 8, 2024, I officially confirmed with the Chinese Volleyball Association that I will return to the national team during the World Women's Volleyball League.
My only purpose in returning to the team this time is to contribute to the Chinese women's volleyball team's qualification for the Paris Olympics. To this end, I will go all out and concentrate on training and competition. In order to avoid all interference and misunderstandings, I will not participate in any commercial activities during the national team and will not accept any commercial endorsement cooperation.
From the end of last year to the Spring Festival this year, my body was in a period of fatigue, my competitive state seriously declined, and I couldn't even cope with daily games. In addition, the various rumors and deliberate attacks on me on the Internet since the Tokyo Olympics have never stopped, and even affected my family. I once lost interest in volleyball and hoped to stay away from the right and wrong. So I applied for retirement to the Henan Provincial Sports Bureau. Knowing that I had the intention to retire, leaders at all levels of the Henan Sports Bureau and the State General Administration of Sports and the national team were very concerned and contacted me many times to communicate, enlighten and encourage me. In the past two years, my mentor Lang has repeatedly encouraged me to return to the national team and continue to fight for the country. When I was at my lowest point, she helped me analyze the problems in my body and technology many times and urged me to strengthen physical training. Driven by various forces, I gave up the idea of retiring, strengthened physical training, and improved my athletic performance. The improvement in my condition gave me confidence, and I gradually came out of the trough. Now I feel that I am physically and mentally ready, so today I officially confirmed my return to the national team and will fight for the country again. Here, I would like to express my gratitude to those who have been caring, encouraging and helping me during this period.
Next, I will try my best to play the last few games of this season's Serie A, and then recover my physical fitness, keep up with the rhythm of the national team as soon as possible, devote myself to training and competition, and work with the team to make every effort to help the Chinese women's volleyball team qualify for the Paris Olympics.”
It’s now clearer why Zhu looked struggling this season before the playoffs. But it still shocked me that she even applied for retirement. I hope Zhu can continue her recent good form, and more importantly, to have really found her interest in volleyball back. It’d be a big loss to the volleyball world if such a star retired so early. -
Honestly idk what to make of Tainara. She's been a big prospect for like 6 years now, but she just can't make the leap. There are moments when she looks brilliant, but it's like she can't play two good matches in a row ever. She can't even start over a 38-year-old Monique.
Maybe the change of scenery will do her good. She can still play the second half of the season somewhere else if she does well in China. But tbh I'm kind of over waiting for her to finally live up to her potential at this point.
I haven’t watched any game of the Brazilian league this season, did Tainara completely lose herself again after her few good games in CWCH?
Able to get two contracts in one season is the only good thing of playing in China, but honestly even if she or anyone plays well in China doesn’t mean anything. That league is just too weak to prove or reflect the real quality of a player. -
Newest rumors say Tainara is going to play in China next season, so the THY transfer is probably not happening
It’s such a bad choice to play in that very weak league for money at this stage of her career if this rumor is true.
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That's why I believe Milano is doing a mistake in keeping him. He's not the guy if you want to win.
He’s exactly the Italian Ferhat. He is safe by reaching their first ever CL Final, just like Ferhat is safe after winning the CWCH, their first big trophy after nearly 10 years.
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Scandicci rarely showed a great coral game, but today relying on Antropova and Zhu Ting payed off. I don't think they can close the series if they will keep playing like that (and history of the season clearly showed that when Milano plays even marginally better than today, they win)
Agree
but at the same time it's not great for Milano to be so dependant on Egonu and still so messy at this point of the season.
From quick glance I saw that Malual was wearing the libero jersey, is she slightly injured? Or were they not even considering the fact that Egonu could have an off-day/let Nika(?) play opposite in that case? I'm happy to see Pusic got backrow duties in normal jersey though, but imo Malual did great in the matches she was starting so I wouldn't have picked her for libero jersey.
It’s just Gaspari doing Gaspari thing, just like he benched Rettke for no reason after she being a beast in attack this season.
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Scandicci’s attack is still the weakest part of their game. I can’t recall any game that they had all their attackers playing on their best level together. Their attack in this match was still worse than Milano, even when Milano’s attackers were also far from good. Scandicci could win this match mainly because of the endless errors from Milano side, and their own better serving.
Antropova 15/31Zhu 10/21
Linda 3/7
Ruddins 3/10
Herbots 1/14
Carol 1/7
If Egonu chose to compete, with these awful attacking stats except Zhu & Antropova, the result would be completely different.
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Ruddins did a good job replacing Herbots today. Never expect this good reception from her lol
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Cazaute is serving like Boskovic today lol
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I like Di Lulio and Zhu's connection
I also have the same impression Zhu is more comfortable or more used to Di Lulio’s sets
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I love Brenda but she hasn’t been it for last couple of big games they had, she isn’t showing up today either.. at least not for her standards and knowing how she can play
She heard you and showed some brilliant digs
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No on Linda!!
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1st set:
Antropova 5/11 2 aces
Zhu 4/6 1 block
Herbots 0/7
Cazaute 4/7Egonu 4/17
Sylla 1/4 -
Across Turkish and Italian league, the top OHs are Gabi and Kelsey - no one else is at their current level as a holistic OH player.. They regularly receive at 60-80%, score >15 points and are reliable at key clutch moments.
In the OH bucket behind them are Zhu, Arina, Plummer… Plummer has improved substantially in reception, otherwise, I would put her even a level lower. Arina has completely stepped up for Fener, taking on a huge load with Vargas out for the first half of the season and still not back to her best form.One level lower, I would include Hande, Ilkin, Cazaute (only if she continues to play as she has the last matches), Herbots, Skinner. These are all elite, reliable and consistent players who contribute meaningfully, and in some matches are stars, but are not consistently and regularly crucial factors for a win.
Agree on most part of above, I would also put LYY just slightly behind Gabi & the Kelsey this season, just a pity that she still can’t get a chance to play outside China. If Ana Cristina could find the form of last season before the surgery, she is also in the second best group, or even among the best.
Besides, I honestly think Lanier has big potential to be one of the very best, but she needs to be starter more consistently to be forced to receive more. A pity that she will have to fight a spot with Gabi and Zhu next season
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Τhe absence of Nwakalor ( MB) is the most ridiculous desicion in my opinion.
Scandicci isn’t eliminated yet.
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They're also kind of the ones to blame for their opposite crisis. They traded Haak for Egonu even though Vakifbank was winning everything with Bella. Then they were very quick to give up on Egonu too and would only renew with her if she agreed to cut her salary in half (obviously she didn't).
Absolutely agree! Vakifbank were too greedy to give up Haak for Egonu in the first place. Then when Erronu showed up in the first half of the season (expectedly), they were already impatient on her and tried to look for another one. They simply forgot the FACT that there are literally only 4 Opps on that level, and also very expectedly, they can’t sign the remaining two after giving up the two they had.
If they were not that greedy in the first place, I believe Haak would be very willing to stay in Vakifbank for most, if not the whole, of her career. But instead she will probably in one of Vakifbank’s strongest rival’s team for the rest of her career
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It’s not about whether Vakif wants LYY, it’s about whether any team can get LYY. She is not free to sign anywhere, she belongs to Tianjin. If Tianjin doesn’t release her, no one can sign her, but if she’s finally allowed to play abroad, even for only one season, all top teams will fight to sign her.
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What to do when Voronkova get aced? Sub Gray in to replace her lol
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Ana Cristina has been great after warming up in the 1st set
