Posts by Zack Fair

  • Japan Women's NT 2025

    Quote from sitenoise

    I'm worried that they are going to be found out, but not sure I see the “smash it hard straight at the defender” plan.

    They do but they often get blocked. Chinese MBs are really good at reading where the power is going or where the hitter puts weight. That leaves angled/cut shots easiser to dig or less powerful since there isn’t much added force from the hitter’s bodyweight behind them.


    Quote from sitenoise

    What do you mean by "be fluid"?

    like they need to be adaptable depending on who they’re up against, instead of sticking to a one-dimensional approach.

  • Japan Women's NT 2025

    I’m afraid this “smash it hard straight at the defender” system isn’t really sustainable.


    The teams they faced in week 1 aren’t great diggers. But week 2 has so far shown that it doesn’t well against a complete Western team like Italy or even against Asian teams, just like how it is n the Vleague.


    They should be fluid. If their goal is to just float around top 5 or 6, then maybe they can hold on to that.

  • Japan Women's NT 2025

    Quote from sitenoise

    IKR :) that's why I kinda like his energy more. He's offering it into a vacuum :lol:


    I imagine it's just a Japanese thing. They've never really any coach that I can think of, maybe a here or there

    I remember Iwasaki hugging Nakada after their reverse sweep against NED in the 2017 Grand Prix

  • Japan Women's NT 2025

    I think the biggest change in their system under Ferhat is how aggressive they’ve become. Before, they usually went for drops or roll shots targeting the top scorer or setter to mess up the opponent’s system or force them to set to a "less aggressive" hitter. They also used to defend and defend to wear down the opponent until they commit an error.


    Now, they’re really hitting the ball hard to force the other team into giving free balls. There are now less block outs as well so less chances of getting blocked.


    I'm glad that they've now realized that what doesn't work in the VLeague or in Japan in general actually works outside. Western teams aren't that good at digging. Freeballs are definitely better than defending OOS attacks.

  • Korean Women’s NT 2025

    OMG Jaja (Sachi) and Branki are teammates. They might not have gotten to shake hands before, but now they’ll get to high five :rolll::rolll:


    If Drews had been invited and Kotoe was on their team, it would've been Team JT All Star

  • Japan - SV.League Women 2024-2025

    Quote from volleyb

    Rui Nonaka and Rino Murooka are both leaving Astemo Rivale Ibaraki.

    Where could Nonaka go when almost every team now prefers a terminating OP? Teams that use receiving OP have been getting fewer and fewer over the years.


    Toray? Ageo?


    With Nwakalor leaving, they might use a tall offensive OH like Kulan again so maybe Toray.

  • Japan Women's NT 2025

    Quote from Karl

    Chiba Port is garbage compared to Yoyogi I don't know why they approved that venue for VNL this year

    They don’t really hold matches in grandiose arenas when it’s just the preliminaries of the VNL. Even the Sky Hall Toyota during the 2018 VNl was just as bad. Same thing back in the Grand Prix days when it was only prelims.


    On record, they would only go big for such an annual meet if they’re hosting the finals like the 2014 Grand Prix Finals. They also go all out only when it’s a biennial or quadriennial meet like the World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Champions Cup (defunct), Olympic World Qualifier (before), and the Olympics.

  • Japan Women's NT 2025

    Akimoto never played as an OH in the usquad, so she never had the chance to prove herself as OH internationally, unlike Mayu and Koga, which is why they effortlessly transitioned to the senior NT’s starting 6. Her reception rate at club level so far is 28.8% (below average), so I wonder if Akbas is gonna bet on her this early.

  • Japan - SV.League Women 2024-2025

    Does KOVO pay better than SVLeague? The influx of Japanese applicants suggests that it does. But for imports, SVLeague seems to offer higher pay because they attract higher-caliber foreign players.