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Post by ToddyJ on Jan 13, 2020 21:16:03 GMT -5
If I were Ze....I would only take players who have contributed the bulk of the quad.
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Post by ToddyJ on Jan 13, 2020 21:29:38 GMT -5
A lot of Brazil's vets said they "retired", but the idea of playing and potentially medaling in one last olympic is tough to pass up. It's going to hurt for the players who've been working hard at these past few years only to lose their spot to a returning vet. I don't think Carol has a chance, Bia maybe, but I thought Mara performed better than her at the World Cup. Yeah here's the thing that makes me ponder. Yes, Fabiana, Thaisa, Shellia and other vets can still play high level volleyball to some degree. The problem is, they are no longer at their peak and is steadily declining in performance. At some point their advantage in experience will be outweighed by their diminishing ability on court. The question is, have they crossed that line or do they still offer valuable on court value? I don’t think they should even be considered. Ze shouldn’t award them for being absent while other players who want to be there have been hauling the team along.
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Post by werka on Jan 13, 2020 21:52:23 GMT -5
Brazil will indeed be the most difficult team to predict. Gabí, Natália, and Tandara are shoe-ins. Macris “should” make her Olympic debut, as should “the bridesmaid” Camilla Brait. The rest of the team is up for grabs. Fabiana, Thaisa, and C. Gattaz are playing lights out volleyball in the middle. With Adenízia trying to make a comeback, players like Carol and Bia are really going to have to have a great VNL. There are some hungry Young OHs out there too, like Tainara. Backup setter could be Roberta, Fabíola, or Dani Lins. Fabiana is struggling at V.League.
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Post by werka on Jan 13, 2020 21:55:59 GMT -5
After watching the qualifications, it became so clear how USA lacks at the LIB slot. The newly-qualified teams all (well, maybe not KEN) have LIBs that are lights out in passing and defense.
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Post by ironhammer on Jan 13, 2020 23:00:11 GMT -5
Yeah here's the thing that makes me ponder. Yes, Fabiana, Thaisa, Shellia and other vets can still play high level volleyball to some degree. The problem is, they are no longer at their peak and is steadily declining in performance. At some point their advantage in experience will be outweighed by their diminishing ability on court. The question is, have they crossed that line or do they still offer valuable on court value? I don’t think they should even be considered. Ze shouldn’t award them for being absent while other players who want to be there have been hauling the team along. I agree, although I think I also understand what Ze could be thinking. The new players are not cutting it, so why not bring back the veterans to provide more stability to the team. Still, personally I think Ze should just go with a younger team and have maybe one or two vets at most to provide experience and decision-making come crunch time on court. After all, the young players need experience to play at the highest level, the vets can't be there forever. Use Tokyo to develop the younger players so that they are in a position to aim for a medal in Paris in 2024.
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Post by ToddyJ on Jan 13, 2020 23:45:55 GMT -5
China's Roster:
S: Ding Xia, Yao Di OH: Zhu Ting, Zhang Changning, Li Yingying, Liu Xiaotong Opp: Gong Xiangyu, ? MB: Yuan Xingue, Yan Ni, ? L: ?
Starters in Bold.
Edit 4/25.
The libero, 3rd middle and 2nd opposite are still in question to me.
Libero: Wang Mengjie or Lin Li?
Middle: Wang Yuanyuan, Hu Mingyuan, Yang Hanyu or Zheng Yixin?
Opposite: Zeng Chunlei or Liu Yunhan?
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Post by ToddyJ on Jan 13, 2020 23:48:11 GMT -5
USA is still a bit in the balance but I think it could come out looking like this:
S: Carlini, Poulter OH: MBH, Larson, Hill MB: Ogbogu, Akinradewo, Dixon Opp: Drews, Thompson, Plummer L: Robinson
Starters in Bold
Edited 4/25
While this isn't a popular line-up I like all the big arms on the roster. If the Libero issue isn't resolved then Robinson is my pick.
I also am banking on Akinradewo making a full post pregnancy come back now that the games are postponed.
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Post by ToddyJ on Jan 13, 2020 23:51:56 GMT -5
Serbia:
S: Ognjenović, Zivković OH: Mihajlović, Busa, Milenković, Blagojević Opp: Bošković, Bjelica MB: Rasić, Veljković, M. Popović L: S. Popović
Starters in Bold.
I think Sladana Mirković and Katarina Lazović could surprise at the back up setter and 4th OH spot. This move would promote youth over the above veterans. In this case I hope for Serbia's sake that Ognjenović doesn't struggle because there is a considerable drop off in level of play between her and Mirković. There isn't as much of a drop with Zivković. I really like Ana Antonijević's play but she has no interest in playing in Maja's shadow so I've been told. The rest of the roster is pretty predictable as they have been playing together for almost 6 years at this point.
If the USA aren't in the final then I hope Serbia takes it all. The last time a team from Europe wore the Olympic Crown was way back in 1988 when now defunct Soviet Union overcame now defunct East Germany 3-1. Moscow was the host of the games.
Europe's time is here!
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Post by raian13 on Jan 14, 2020 0:35:31 GMT -5
Wow no Netherlands. I’ll miss seeing Celeste Plak on the olympics.
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Post by alohavball on Jan 14, 2020 1:11:40 GMT -5
I don’t think they should even be considered. Ze shouldn’t award them for being absent while other players who want to be there have been hauling the team along. Use Tokyo to develop the younger players so that they are in a position to aim for a medal in Paris in 2024. Developing talent for the next cycle might not be important to him since he's rumored to retire after Tokyo.
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Post by alohavball on Jan 14, 2020 1:13:39 GMT -5
China's roster is basically set: S: Ding Xia, Yao Di OH: Zhu Ting, Zhang Changning, Li Yingying, Liu Xiaotong Opp: Gong Xiangyu, Zeng Chunlei MB: Yuan Xingue, Yan Ni, Wang Yuanyuan L: Wang Mengjie Not sure about Zeng Chunlei and Wang Yuanyuan.
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Post by werka on Jan 14, 2020 1:38:27 GMT -5
USA
OH: Hill, Larson, Robinson, Bartsch-Hackley OPP: Drews, Thompson MB: Akinradewo, Ogbogu, Adams SET: Carlini, Hancock LIB: Wong-Orantes
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Post by dragan11 on Jan 14, 2020 3:16:51 GMT -5
Oh, gosh! Still JWO? She couldn't take the starting sport from mediocre Poganny in her club team. She is weak for international ball.
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Post by ironhammer on Jan 14, 2020 9:37:53 GMT -5
Use Tokyo to develop the younger players so that they are in a position to aim for a medal in Paris in 2024. Developing talent for the next cycle might not be important to him since he's rumored to retire after Tokyo. True, his aim is to take another shot at the podium in Tokyo. Still, without any consideration for long-term development of younger players, Brazil is going to face a long hard road back to the top.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2020 11:12:19 GMT -5
Oh, gosh! Still JWO? She couldn't take the starting sport from mediocre Poganny in her club team. She is weak for international ball. Know of better options? We're all ears.
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