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Post by basil on May 16, 2021 16:58:32 GMT -5
We don’t even know how often Karch will play them...I find it more worrying that Annie and JT are the only two opposites unless Plummer and SWP play some oppo during some matches. If Drews and JT are the only ones then they’ll both have to play at least one match per week and the other will play two...that seems pretty rough.
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Post by basil on May 16, 2021 17:10:03 GMT -5
Poland is playing friendly matches against Bulgaria. The first match is on this Youtube (each set is a different video). They're playing right now as well (don't have a US stream)
Poland - Bulgaria 3:1
Poland: Smarzek 30, Łukasik 10, Alagierska 9, Efimienko 9, Górecka 8, Różański 8, Krajewska 2, Łazowska 1, Stenzel (L), Jagła (L) Where was this Smarzek with Novara? Also, if Smarzek can play well, Poland will be a good test too for the VNL. |
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2021 17:17:49 GMT -5
Poland is playing friendly matches against Bulgaria. The first match is on this Youtube (each set is a different video). They're playing right now as well (don't have a US stream)
Poland - Bulgaria 3:1
Poland: Smarzek 30, Łukasik 10, Alagierska 9, Efimienko 9, Górecka 8, Różański 8, Krajewska 2, Łazowska 1, Stenzel (L), Jagła (L) Where was this Smarzek with Novara? Also, if Smarzek can play well, Poland will be a good test too for the VNL. Maybe she just thrives being the go to player for a team. That wasn't her role with Novara. Plus, setter connection is everything. She and Hancock never seemed to establish a good one. |
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2021 17:18:07 GMT -5
Poland is playing friendly matches against Bulgaria. The first match is on this Youtube (each set is a different video). They're playing right now as well (don't have a US stream)
Poland - Bulgaria 3:1
Poland: Smarzek 30, Łukasik 10, Alagierska 9, Efimienko 9, Górecka 8, Różański 8, Krajewska 2, Łazowska 1, Stenzel (L), Jagła (L) Where was this Smarzek with Novara? maybe she just needed to be freed from Hancock 🤭 lol |
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2021 17:21:12 GMT -5
Real quick question concerning Japan?
What happened to setters Sato, Tominaga and Miyash*ta? Did they all retire?
Tashiro was on the squad at the 2018 WCH's but Seki and Momii are green.
Other than setting, the rest of Japan's roster is rock solid and could make some waves IMO.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2021 17:23:25 GMT -5
Poland is playing friendly matches against Bulgaria. The first match is on this Youtube (each set is a different video). They're playing right now as well (don't have a US stream)
Poland - Bulgaria 3:1
Poland: Smarzek 30, Łukasik 10, Alagierska 9, Efimienko 9, Górecka 8, Różański 8, Krajewska 2, Łazowska 1, Stenzel (L), Jagła (L) Where was this Smarzek with Novara? Also, if Smarzek can play well, Poland will be a good test too for the VNL. Also, Bulgaria isn't a particularly strong team without Vasileva. If they had her and Rabadzhieva, the team would be quite a bit better. |
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Post by basil on May 16, 2021 17:25:22 GMT -5
Where was this Smarzek with Novara? Also, if Smarzek can play well, Poland will be a good test too for the VNL. Also, Bulgaria isn't a particularly strong team without Vasileva. If they had her and Rabadzhieva, the team would be quite a bit better. This is a very good point I forgot about. Imagine if Dobby had been with the team at the IOQT last year...it’s interesting how many European players just don’t play with the national team for a variety of reasons. |
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2021 17:29:03 GMT -5
Also, Bulgaria isn't a particularly strong team without Vasileva. If they had her and Rabadzhieva, the team would be quite a bit better. This is a very good point I forgot about. Imagine if Dobby had been with the team at the IOQT last year...it’s interesting how many European players just don’t play with the national team for a variety of reasons. It's because they don't get paid enough for the amount of wear and tear it does to your body playing literally year round. |
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2021 17:36:02 GMT -5
Rabadzhieva had issues with the old Bulgarian federation. She said she wouldnt play for them, but she's talked to the new management and said she'll see. I think she's recovering from a surgery/operation now and getting ready for THY.
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Post by CAI BIN MUST GO on May 16, 2021 17:43:58 GMT -5
if they try, then it's much more likely that USA beats Brazil than the other way The real question is would Karch focus on winning the vnl like previous years or would he use it to develop and examine players like most other nations' head coaches. Not only that.
I would add that it's not bad policy to lose before a major competition so the players have some 'hunger' heading into the Olympics.
Yes, Jenny and the Chinese in general really believe that there is an "up and down" cycle of player/team form, so it's not good to win right before a major competition given how close together they are.
Whether this has any scientific basis, I am not sure.
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Post by CAI BIN MUST GO on May 16, 2021 17:45:08 GMT -5
based on the roster, no evidence of changes in Karch's thinking. I don't understand the need for the veterans to be there for the first few weeks. I do this time, simply because it’s the only play before olympics after not playing since summer 2019. It’s more strange that China, Serbia and Italy aren’t send their A Teams to this event. Well, Jenny did say that the main players will go to Italy later (she left 6 behind on purpose)
Maybe just to get their form going, not "serious competition" like trying to win.
Italy and Serbia OTOH have had their main NT players in top level leagues all year, unlike China and USA.
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Post by CAI BIN MUST GO on May 16, 2021 17:48:23 GMT -5
Another interesting thing about China's B team they're sending is that Lang Ping herself will be leading this squad. Normally it's their assistant while she would stay back with the A team, but this time around it's different.
Jenny is prepping for 2024, while Karch is prepping for 2016.
As much fun as it is to make fun of Karch, Jenny isn't preparing for 2024 because none of the promising new players are here. The young libero is missing, the young setters are missing, etc. |
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Post by ironhammer on May 16, 2021 18:22:13 GMT -5
Real quick question concerning Japan? What happened to setters Sato, Tominaga and Miyash*ta? Did they all retire? Tashiro was on the squad at the 2018 WCH's but Seki and Momii are green. Other than setting, the rest of Japan's roster is rock solid and could make some waves IMO. Rumor has it that coach Nakada dropped Sato because she wasn't seen as making the cut, perfomance-wise. Or maybe she just wanted her to prep more to get up to form before playing her in the VNL... |
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Post by alohavball on May 16, 2021 18:25:48 GMT -5
Real quick question concerning Japan? What happened to setters Sato, Tominaga and Miyash*ta? Did they all retire? Tashiro was on the squad at the 2018 WCH's but Seki and Momii are green. Other than setting, the rest of Japan's roster is rock solid and could make some waves IMO. Rumor has it that coach Nakada dropped Sato because she wasn't seen as making the cut, perfomance-wise. Or maybe she just wanted her to prep more to get up to form before playing her in the VNL... I heard that she had a serious injury and didn't recover in time. I think ACL or something. |
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Post by ironhammer on May 16, 2021 18:27:19 GMT -5
Rumor has it that coach Nakada dropped Sato because she wasn't seen as making the cut, perfomance-wise. Or maybe she just wanted her to prep more to get up to form before playing her in the VNL... I heard that she had a serious injury and didn't recover in time. I think ACL or something. Well whatever the reason, she won't be at the VNL. The bigger question is whether she will be at Tokyo... |
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