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Post by werka on Aug 10, 2020 2:30:38 GMT -5
For USA, if we're going to talk about recent iterations, Kelsey-Michelle-Annie took out China ~A during VNL 2019 Week 4. That's the best USA looked last year.
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Post by ToddyJ on Aug 10, 2020 2:39:56 GMT -5
For USA, if we're going to talk about recent iterations, Kelsey-Michelle-Annie took out China ~A during VNL 2019 Week 4. That's the best USA looked last year. Yeah but that was a VNL preliminary match and according to the motley crew on here that doesn't count. I agree that match was fire and that the team looked really good. Unfortunately we will have to wait and see if that combo can produce consistently against the big guns.
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Post by ToddyJ on Aug 10, 2020 2:54:50 GMT -5
I disagree. Brazil's combo is top 3 easily. USA is still in flux so it's hard to argue a certain combo just yet. Still I would argue that any combo of pins the USA can put up from the top 4 OH's paired with either Drews or Thompson is probably top 3. China barely uses their opposite but having to pass in certain rotations makes Gong a better all around player than most opposites on the other teams. So I think China is probably top 3. I don't doubt Serbia and their ability to win. I merely don't see how anyone can vote for this trio when Buša is easily one of the weakest OH's out of the entire field of OH's that will be at the OG. Every single other OH2 listed other than maybe Murambi from Kenya can at least pass and has contributed on offense more than her. Therefor I don't see how Serbia has the best trio, which is what the poll is asking. Mihajlović and Bosković may have the offensive output of a trio but they are not in fact a trio. I mean, there's no definition that "trio" means all 3 players have to meet a certain threshold, is there? If you asked who the best team is, and I say Serbia, is that also the incorrect answer because Busa is so weak? Posters (like myself) weighed that Busa is a weak OH, and still decided that Mihajlović and Bosković are enough to keep Serbia in the top 3. If you don't think that Mihajlović and Bosković are strong enough to counterbalance Busa, that's fine, but I feel like arguing that they aren't a "trio" just because one is much weaker, is a strange interpretation. Well I am a strange human so I guess I will just stick to my opinion, even if I cannot argue it's merit that well. I do understand your argument. It is a solid one. I simply think that there are better all around pin trios that involve all three positions not just two no matter the results, as silly as that may seem. On a semi but not really related note, if I were Terzić, I would start Blagojević instead of Buša. At least she can pass and defend. I think the reason he starts Buša is so that teams will serve her and not Mihajlović thus freeing up the two big guns to swing away. It's pretty smart tactics.
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Post by ironhammer on Aug 10, 2020 3:24:18 GMT -5
For USA, if we're going to talk about recent iterations, Kelsey-Michelle-Annie took out China ~A during VNL 2019 Week 4. That's the best USA looked last year. Yeah but that was a VNL preliminary match and according to the motley crew on here that doesn't count. It does matter, but the issue with USA is they can do so great in lesser matches, but when it comes to the big majors, apart from the World Championship in 2014, they tend for some reason or another to underperform for various reasons.
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Post by reformate on Aug 10, 2020 3:26:14 GMT -5
The Serbian trio is strong, but so fragile. If Busa messes up on her reception, Mihajlovic cannot cover her. If Mihajlovic can't kill the ball, Busa cannot cover her. The trios of BRA, CHN, and USA are as competitive in offense and defense while enjoying more flexibility in case things turn out to be far from ideal.
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Post by gmanoc on Aug 10, 2020 9:31:25 GMT -5
Yeah but that was a VNL preliminary match and according to the motley crew on here that doesn't count. It does matter, but the issue with USA is they can do so great in lesser matches, but when it comes to the big majors, apart from the World Championship in 2014, they tend for some reason or another to underperform for various reasons. The media always makes the US look like a contender, but in actuality they’re mediocre at best. China, Brazil, Serbia. those are the top teams when it comes down to it
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Post by ironhammer on Aug 10, 2020 11:17:32 GMT -5
It does matter, but the issue with USA is they can do so great in lesser matches, but when it comes to the big majors, apart from the World Championship in 2014, they tend for some reason or another to underperform for various reasons. The media always makes the US look like a contender, but in actuality they’re mediocre at best. China, Brazil, Serbia. those are the top teams when it comes down to it They had chances, but they blew it. I said they choked on a number of occasions, some disagree with that, but I still got a nagging thought in the back of mind the US did choked in some of the major tournaments. For example, the 2011 World Cup. The US was in a position to win the tournament in the last round. But they blew it by losing to Japan 3-0. A team the US should have beaten had they performed normally. I can't help but think the nerves got to them. So Italy won instead. And the 2012 Olympics. Man, that still bugs me.
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Post by Wichsen on Aug 10, 2020 11:38:14 GMT -5
Y'all think larson, hill and akinradewo will surrender just like that? I believe they will give everything to win this time. But i still prefer bartsch-Hill-Drews trio if you want to match it with the big guns like Serbia and china.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 12:36:49 GMT -5
It does matter, but the issue with USA is they can do so great in lesser matches, but when it comes to the big majors, apart from the World Championship in 2014, they tend for some reason or another to underperform for various reasons. The media always makes the US look like a contender, but in actuality they’re mediocre at best. China, Brazil, Serbia. those are the top teams when it comes down to it If we're calling the US mediocre than what's Brazil? Brazil is not a top team if you're not considering the US as one
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Post by ironhammer on Aug 10, 2020 12:40:34 GMT -5
The media always makes the US look like a contender, but in actuality they’re mediocre at best. China, Brazil, Serbia. those are the top teams when it comes down to it If we're calling the US mediocre than what's Brazil? Brazil is not a top team if you're not considering the US as one The US is certainly not medicore. The talent is there. The motivation is there. But its the execution...
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Post by gmanoc on Aug 10, 2020 14:52:23 GMT -5
If we're calling the US mediocre than what's Brazil? Brazil is not a top team if you're not considering the US as one The US is certainly not medicore. The talent is there. The motivation is there. But its the execution... Brazil won the Olympics two years in a row (2008 and 2012) and won bronze in 1996 and 2020.
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Post by ToddyJ on Aug 10, 2020 15:01:25 GMT -5
The US is certainly not medicore. The talent is there. The motivation is there. But its the execution... Brazil won the Olympics two years in a row (2008 and 2012) and won bronze in 1996 and 2020. That was then. This is now. Right now their roster is a bit of a mess with vets retiring, injuries, and youth that is not quite seasoned yet. They, like the USA, are in a bit of a transitional period.
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trojansc
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All-VolleyTalk 1st Team (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017), All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2016), 2021, 2019 Fantasy League Champion, 2020 Fantasy League Runner Up, 2022 2nd Runner Up
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Post by trojansc on Aug 10, 2020 15:04:45 GMT -5
Brazil also got ousted in the Quarterfinals of Rio 2016 at home, then didn’t even qualify for the Final Six at the 2018 World Championships.
They then nearly blew their Olympic Qualifier at home in 2020. Brazil has shown to have many issues since their last medals.
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Post by jwvolley on Aug 10, 2020 15:07:11 GMT -5
It does matter, but the issue with USA is they can do so great in lesser matches, but when it comes to the big majors, apart from the World Championship in 2014, they tend for some reason or another to underperform for various reasons. The media always makes the US look like a contender, but in actuality they’re mediocre at best. China, Brazil, Serbia. those are the top teams when it comes down to it This is an absurd statement
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 15:09:55 GMT -5
if you had to put the Tokyo field into tiers in terms of ability to win the gold/reach the medal round what would you do
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