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Post by ironhammer on May 19, 2021 18:13:19 GMT -5
Am I the only one who thinks that this Italian team could over perform? I think this is their best line up: S: Bosio, Battistoni OH: Guerra, D'Odorico, Omoruyi, Melli MB: Lubian, Bonifacio, Mazzaro, Squarcini OPP: Mingardi, Nwakalor L: Fersino, De Bertoli Best starters are in BOLD. That group could honestly push most of the teams in this competition. Bosio runs a pretty fast offense and really elevated Chieri this season. Plus her coach is the head coach of this team for the VNL. Several of her Chieri teammates are also on this roster. I think several teams will end up starting weaker line-ups against them and really struggle to win those scenarios. We will likely see many of Italy's matches either be blow outs FOR ITALY or go 5 sets. I don't think they will beat USA, Brazil, Turkey or China (at full strength) but I think they could topple Russia, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland and the rest of the competition if not taken seriously. They won't necessarily be push-overs, but would they get on the podium for the VNL....hmmmm. |
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:16:28 GMT -5
I'm also going to make a stretch here and argue that his young Dutch team could also make some noise. I honestly think that they rode Sloetjes (who was in rapid decline) and other veterans like Dijkema and Balkestein for too long. Plak or Buijs should play at opposite since they both are atrocious at passing but have the biggest arms on the team. I would start Daalderop and M. Jasper on the left and keep Schoot at Libero. That might actually improve their passing enough to be in the conversation. Bongaerts is fully capable of running the offense and I think that Lohuis and either Baijens or de Zwart are fully capable and lethal middles when in system. de Zwart is 6'8"!!!! I wonder how quick she is moving laterally?
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:19:02 GMT -5
Did we ever determine when the 6 substitutions occur? Is it at the start of week 3 or the start of week 4?
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Post by basil on May 19, 2021 18:20:12 GMT -5
Did we ever determine when the 6 substitutions occur? Is it at the start of week 3 or the start of week 4? start of week 4 I'm pretty sure. |
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:22:18 GMT -5
The VNL website got a facelift and it looks really nice ya'll. a facelift is an understatement lol
the CEV should take notes (their redesign is horrible)
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Post by basil on May 19, 2021 18:24:22 GMT -5
Am I the only one who thinks that this Italian team could over perform? I think this is their best line up: S: Bosio, Battistoni OH: Guerra, D'Odorico, Omoruyi, Melli MB: Lubian, Bonifacio, Mazzaro, Squarcini OPP: Mingardi, Nwakalor L: Fersino, De Bertoli Best starters are in BOLD. They won't necessarily be push-overs, but would they get on the podium for the VNL....hmmmm. It's a pretty solid group of players, but none of them are at that elite tier. This is like their B+ squad tbh, all of them like fourth or fifth on the depth chart or just below the 14ish competing for Tokyo spots. They can probably match up well with some of the "mid-tier" teams like Poland, Netherlands, etc. |
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Post by ironhammer on May 19, 2021 18:28:40 GMT -5
They won't necessarily be push-overs, but would they get on the podium for the VNL....hmmmm. It's a pretty solid group of players, but none of them are at that elite tier. This is like their B+ squad tbh, all of them like fourth or fifth on the depth chart or just below the 14ish competing for Tokyo spots. They can probably match up well with some of the "mid-tier" teams like Poland, Netherlands, etc. I agree. They certainly can beat the weaker teams (i.e. Canada, etc) and might mount a challenge to teams like Russia and Netherlands as mentioned above. But against a full-strength top tier team? I have my doubts... |
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:34:32 GMT -5
Maybe it's just me.... but I think Canada can make some noise. I'm not lumping them in with the weaker teams yet
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Post by ironhammer on May 19, 2021 18:35:37 GMT -5
Maybe it's just me.... but I think Canada can make some noise. I'm not lumping them in with the weaker teams yet Well...we'll find out whether you are right with that prediction soon enough.  |
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Post by werka on May 19, 2021 18:38:08 GMT -5
I think i saw Kelsey and Kimmy in Jeff Liu’s IGS.
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:39:38 GMT -5
Did we ever determine when the 6 substitutions occur? Is it at the start of week 3 or the start of week 4? start of week 4 I'm pretty sure. See, that is only 8 matches (6 in the round robin and 2 in the finals). I don't understand completely skipping this tournament. Like at all. Besides, it's not like players like Bosko, Egonu and co. would be playing all 8 of those matches once on the roster. Sigh. I would honestly be in support of a new rule where an athlete CANNOT be named to a WCH or OG's roster unless they have STARTED in at least a certain percentage (1/3 or 1/4) of total sets/matches played by their team in the tournaments leading up to said major tournament. You wanna rest, so be it. But, if you want to play in the big tournaments, you simply cannot sit out all matches leading up to the major tournaments. I'm looking at you Maja. She hasn't played a single VNL/WGP this entire quad. She should have to participate in at least some of those matches to be eligible to show off at the big tournaments. How long will fans continue to watch the VNL if all of the stars don't participate? This is NOT a problem on the Men's side. Since the level of pay during international play is the same for both sexes, what do you all think is the difference maker? Inequitable pay during the pro season? Players having children/wanting to spend more time with their families? I don't mean to beat this horse to death, I just want to know why, besides just needing time off? I do think that the VNL could be split up so that the prelims aren't so daunting/long. I would support a two group VNL of 8 and 8 or 10 and 10. One group of 16 is a lot. |
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:41:40 GMT -5
Maybe it's just me.... but I think Canada can make some noise. I'm not lumping them in with the weaker teams yet Well...we'll find out whether you are right with that prediction soon enough. I'm always right, so we won't have to wait long  |
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Post by werka on May 19, 2021 18:42:05 GMT -5
I think Canada 15th.
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Post by basil on May 19, 2021 18:43:13 GMT -5
I'm also going to make a stretch here and argue that his young Dutch team could also make some noise. I honestly think that they rode Sloetjes (who was in rapid decline) and other veterans like Dijkema and Balkestein for too long. Plak or Buijs should play at opposite since they both are atrocious at passing but have the biggest arms on the team. I would start Daalderop and M. Jasper on the left and keep Schoot at Libero. That might actually improve their passing enough to be in the conversation. Bongaerts is fully capable of running the offense and I think that Lohuis and either Baijens or de Zwart are fully capable and lethal middles when in system. de Zwart is 6'8"!!!! I wonder how quick she is moving laterally? Anyone ever seen this "de Zwart" and Rettke in the same room? I think a lot for the Dutch depends on how Plak comes back from her time off. Would love to see them get it together again. |
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2021 18:44:30 GMT -5
start of week 4 I'm pretty sure. Sigh. I would honestly be in support of a new rule where an athlete CANNOT be named to a WCH or OG's roster unless they have STARTED in at least a certain percentage (1/3 or 1/4) of total sets/matches played by their team in the tournaments leading up to said major tournament. You wanna rest, so be it. But, if you want to play in the big tournaments, you simply cannot sit out all matches leading up to the major tournaments. I'm looking at you Maja. She hasn't played a single VNL/WGP this entire quad. She should have to participate in at least some of those matches to be eligible to show off at the big tournaments. I honestly don't hate that. Tennis has similar rules. You have to play x-amount of events at the different levels or you're going to be penalized. (but recently, they've loosened the rules for veterans).
I don't think there's another way to get better participation unless you use it as a qualifier for something. (winner gets a seed at WCH or something) but that's treading a fine line (guaranteeing something like that)
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