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Post by northwoods on Aug 3, 2019 21:46:52 GMT -5
Offensively? She absolutely is. Dixon is awful offensively and is only there for her defense and serving. "Awful." I assume you think Rettke (and Washington) is (are) better offensively. I rest my case. She reads well, and blocks well against these bottom end teams as a result. Offensively though? She buries a nice overpass, but otherwise lumbers around.
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Post by B1Gminnesotafan on Aug 3, 2019 21:51:42 GMT -5
For her blocking, her serving, her defense, and what offense they need from her. You forgot her consistency. I noticed that when Tori is blocking the hitter usually aims over the outside hitter. IMO the other pros respect her block. I first noticed this before her injury and I'm glad to see her getting back to that level again. Dixon is someone you can count on.
OTOH, I enjoyed Washington's play today. If she would quit blocking the ball out of bounds so often she could be our best middle yet. I think she could be as good as Akinradewo.
The connection between the middles and the setter is the trickiest. Carlini will get better by the Olympics as will Polter. Neither has spent much time with these middles.
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Post by vup on Aug 3, 2019 21:54:38 GMT -5
πππ I can't handle the truth.
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Post by volleyguy on Aug 3, 2019 21:56:52 GMT -5
For her blocking, her serving, her defense, and what offense they need from her. You forgot her consistency. I noticed that when Tori is blocking the hitter usually aims over the outside hitter. IMO the other pros respect her block. I first noticed this before her injury and I'm glad to see her getting back to that level again. Dixon is someone you can count on.
OTOH, I enjoyed Washington's play today. If she would quit blocking the ball out of bounds so often she could be our best middle yet. I think she could be as good as Akinradewo. The connection between the middles and the setter is the trickiest. Carlini will get better by the Olympics as will Polter. Neither has spent much time with these middles.
There are relatively few opportunities for that connection to develop between now and the Tokyo Olympics. Beside, does anyone really believe that Karch is going to emphasize greater production from our middles if he hasn't done so already?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 21:57:33 GMT -5
Ditto (R)uffda!* and avid. Yeah it's amazing how "Blocking" is no longer an essential part of a volleyball match but 6'8" is. You could be 7'2 but still slow to the pins and it wouldn't matter. I think Dana is a great MB, just not our best international level one. She's what, 20? She'll get there, she has the potential to be one of the best, but she's not there now.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 21:57:41 GMT -5
"Awful." I assume you think Rettke (and Washington) is (are) better offensively. I rest my case. She reads well, and blocks well against these bottom end teams as a result. Offensively though? She buries a nice overpass, but otherwise lumbers around. I'd never claim she is the best offensive middle in the world. But she is not awful. And she is better than Rettke and Washington (and Adams), right now.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 21:58:36 GMT -5
You forgot her consistency. I noticed that when Tori is blocking the hitter usually aims over the outside hitter. IMO the other pros respect her block. I first noticed this before her injury and I'm glad to see her getting back to that level again. Dixon is someone you can count on.
OTOH, I enjoyed Washington's play today. If she would quit blocking the ball out of bounds so often she could be our best middle yet. I think she could be as good as Akinradewo. The connection between the middles and the setter is the trickiest. Carlini will get better by the Olympics as will Polter. Neither has spent much time with these middles.
There are relatively few opportunities for that connection to develop between now and the Tokyo Olympics. Beside, does anyone really believe that Karch is going to emphasize greater production from our middles if he hasn't done so already? Does anyone (emphasize that)? That's not how you win at this level.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 22:01:42 GMT -5
Offensively? She absolutely is. Dixon is awful offensively and is only there for her defense and serving. "Awful." I assume you think Rettke (and Washington) is (are) better offensively. I rest my case. Dixon is a better player than Rettke is. I don't think her offense is awful, but of the top 4 or 5 middles in national team system right now, I'd maybe put her offense 4th or 5th. The team is better with Dixon than with Rettke. Whether that is still true a year from now, 2 years from now, who knows. But, that's what is real today. I do, however, think that there are things Rettke is better at. Her slide attack is lethal. She is probably better hitting in front of the setter than Dixon is at this point, but that seems where Carlini may earn her reputation for not being able set middles. But, Rettke is so far behind Dixon on reading defense and, thus, closing out a block and was rightfully standing on the sidelines tonight. When you play Rettke over someone like Dixon or Washington, you're really banking on her offensive output overshadowing her defensive shortcomings. And, I don't think her offense has been particularly sharp the last few times we've seen her anyway.
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Post by Disc808 on Aug 3, 2019 22:13:21 GMT -5
Here's the thing. We only had one offensive middle playing that match. Washington can hit. Dixon cannot. Both Rettke and Ogbogu are MUCH better offensively. We sacrificed offense for blocking. Not sure that'd have been my choice, but so be it. Horse%*$#. Rettke is nowhere near Dixon's level now, in any phase of the game. Nor is that surprising, being a junior in college and all. Homer much? I am so sick and tired of people ragging on these NT players who have dedicated so much of their lives to the sport AND accomplished so much. But the next shiny object ... Would you be defending Dixon so incessantly if you werenβt a homer as well?
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Post by volleyguy on Aug 3, 2019 22:14:27 GMT -5
There are relatively few opportunities for that connection to develop between now and the Tokyo Olympics. Beside, does anyone really believe that Karch is going to emphasize greater production from our middles if he hasn't done so already? Does anyone (emphasize that)? That's not how you win at this level. Did you watch Bulgaria today? Granted, they didn't win, but their distribution to the middles was superior to ours. And yes, lots of teams emphasize greater production from their middles than USA does.
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Post by vup on Aug 3, 2019 22:15:23 GMT -5
This game is making me gassy ewwwww
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 22:23:00 GMT -5
Horse%*$#. Rettke is nowhere near Dixon's level now, in any phase of the game. Nor is that surprising, being a junior in college and all. Homer much? I am so sick and tired of people ragging on these NT players who have dedicated so much of their lives to the sport AND accomplished so much. But the next shiny object ... Would you be defending Dixon so incessantly if you werenβt a homer as well? Yes. And I'll defend Lloyd and Larson (and many others, too). It is true that it's more personal for me, having followed players like Dixon and Gibbemeyer for as long as I have. But you don't see me making wild claims like the ones being made about Rettke and Washington. And "incessantly"? Give me a break.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 22:25:06 GMT -5
Does anyone (emphasize that)? That's not how you win at this level. Did you watch Bulgaria today? Granted, they didn't win, but their distribution to the middles was superior to ours. And yes, lots of teams emphasize greater production from their middles than USA does. Greater, maybe. But no one runs their offense through their middles. No one who wants to win anyhow. It's low percentage volleyball. Btw, watch the match. Bulgaria wasn't leaving Dixon alone. If she was awful, they'd totally ignore her. She was drawing the block. Team USA's strength, offensively, is their pins. No shame in that.
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Post by vup on Aug 3, 2019 22:25:07 GMT -5
I don't love Karch's strategy in this tournament of rotating outsides. It's three matches. Not exhausting. Play your best lineup. I couldn't agree more this.
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Post by vup on Aug 3, 2019 22:26:23 GMT -5
I don't love Karch's strategy in this tournament of rotating outsides. It's three matches. Not exhausting. Play your best lineup. Truly the most important post in the thread, and it's only 8 posts into the thread.
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