HCLT TOP 1000

Sorry, next time I’ll say “Berruto said on a video sent by Pearl”. Please, don’t punch me. I heard evil Kate and Zyta are around. Scary!

Of course he lacks experience, it was his first major tournament. What did you expect? That he played like Gardini? Fei? Mastrangelo? Give him a chance, impatient Pearl.

@TheKhann: FIVB chose something like “the tournament ideal squad”. Dunno if you noticed but the MVP was out of that team, which is pretty weird. You should read again, I didn’t say he deserved or not an award. I said he was best blocker of the finals, and he was. He didn’t care, neither do I. It was just funny to see he hadn’t realized that – typical of Lucas. If playing badly in the final match were the reason to deny some player an award, then Bruno should give back that one, since he didn’t play well. BTW, when you award a blocker, for example, you have to use the stats. I remember he had six blocks in the first match against Russia, then four against Canada, not to mention the rebounds (Mastrangelo was a top blocker not because of his stuff blocks, but because of his defensive work while blocking). It’s different when you choose a setter or a libero, although many times FIVB awarded second-class setters by using stats.

Dude, with such a great name (Henrique) you had to be really talented. ;-)

Okay, I really like Sokolov, he’s an amazing player, but what are the criteria for giving him that award? Being top scorer? No, Pavlov was. What’s the problem giving the Russian opposite two awards? FIVB obviously didn’t want to let Team Bulgaria leave Mar del Plata with empty hands. C’mon, they don’t need that. Not fair. All this has happened before and will happen again. How can someone be the best opposite when another guy who plays in the same position was MVP? Doesn’t make any sense, does it? ;-) Lucas was the best blocker and didn’t get an award, but he didn’t even notice till some reporters told him. He didn’t seem to care anyway. lol

Russia has the best team in the world. Period. Brazil has to work a lot to keep up with them. The opposite position is our main weakness. Vissotto? Dunno if he can improve more than he did. Wallace? Bernardinho defended him after the match, but it’s part of his job as a coach. Wallace scored one point in the first set and three in the second. Please… We’re in trouble. No, it wasn’t the result that made me think this way, Brazil played poorly and I know they can do better. Problem is that Russia is digging, and when I say digging it’s for real, they have a very efficient defensive system. Red alert. Some people cried before about Maxim’s absence – he was there, but nobody noticed. I was telling Kate here on Saturday, “People forget Pavlov has more skills than Maxim. Many teams have neutralized Maxim Mikhaylov. It’ll take a while till the main opponents learn how to stop Pavlov”. The 31-year-old Russian opposite was unstoppable last night, like he was many times before. Grankin showed some class. His backsets are a piece of art, I could watch them all night long. Grankin is fantastic. I almost forgot Butkochka, and those Russians also have Makarov (hey Makarov, ay!). Spirik is a fantastic left side, though he was just okay in the final, while Sivozhelez helped Pavlov to carry the load. Should I call Barack Obama and tell him the Russian vball team has been hiding Edward Snowden? Just kidding. On the Brazilian side, I was happy with Mario, our libero. After a bad start, and being out of the list in the matches against Bulgaria in Brasilia, he made a great return. He was flawless against Team USA and was definitely the best libero of the finals – passing and digging in high level. Bruno is the best setter in the world, though he didn’t play in the final – maybe he was chatting with Maxim. Ricardo Lucarelli is a fantastic player. Some fans criticized him and Isac (who replaced an injured Eder), but Bernardinho defended both, saying their mistakes were his responsibility and that they’re too young. Voronkov added that the Brazilian team needs more experience and that they haven’t reached their full potential. If Brazil has to run a bit to reach the Russians, the Italians have to do the same to reach us. Berruto said in a press conference that his players are improving and soon they’ll be ready to challenge Russia and Brazil. Zaytsev and Birarelli played in high level throughout the tournament, being deservedly awarded. That Beretta guy is a gun, keeping the Italian tradition of great middle blockers. Team Italy still struggles with their liberos, and that setter Travica bugs me a lot. He made some really stupid choices in the bronze medal match and complicated the match against Bulgaria. Talking about Bulgaria, pay attention to them. No, nothing special, no new tactical scheme, just more efficiency. Thanks to Mr. Camillo Placi, a quiet guy who knows how to take the best from his players. Last year Camillo Placi (forget Naydenov, please) took his boys to the Olympic semis, now he put them in the top 4 again. Too bad Bulgaria finished 4th for the fifth time in the WL history. They deserved a medal, but Italy is still a little better. A lot has been said about Sokolov (definitely more mature after the season in Cuneo) and Skrimov (some bad matches, but still with some credit), but two players deserve some attention: Todor Aleksiev and Valentin Bratoev. Interestingly, they play better under Placi’s command. Todor (American commentator Paul Sunderland pronounces “toll-door”) had been a reason for several jokes, but if there were an award for best improvement of the season that prize should be given to him. Seriously. I love when the underdog proves we’re wrong. I had seen this guy live in 2008 and 2010. He's way better now. From fit but quite ordinary to fat but effective, Aleksiev proved to be important for his squad. He should improve his passing, as the opponents keep taking advantage of his lack of technique. Anyway, Aleksiev is no longer a reason for laughter. What about that Bratoev twin who's a wing spiker? He’s no Lucarelli or Spiridonov, but if Bulgaria sometimes changed game pace, a big part of that should be credited to Valentin. I admit when I saw him being subbed in during pool play I thought he'd screw things up, but he was quite solid. Many times his presence allowed Placi to keep things organized. Russia, Brazil, Italy and Bulgaria proved once they repeated the London Olympics standings that they’re the elite group. What about the others? Canada was a nice surprise and they’ll get even better. Iran is improving fast under the command of legendary Julio Velasco. France, Germany, Serbia and USA have potential to cause some damages to the main teams. John Speraw (USA) and Laurent Tillie (France) have some treasures on their hands. To wrap up this long comment, dunno if people here saw during the bronze medal match, on the same play: First Zaytsev did a “Todor”, and then Beretta did a “Plinski”. Nobody did a “Giba”, but it’s okay.

The first match USA-Bulgaria was a lesson for those “hitters-can-solve-anything” believers. With Skrimov out of combat, still recovering from the flu (he left the court in the middle of the first set), the Bulgarian team was fragile against the Americans, as the Balkanian passing line became a mess. To add more drama to the Bulgarian side, their serve wasn’t working at all. No serve, no blocking. As a result, after two sets, the Bulgarians hadn’t scored a single point blocking, while the Americans had eight. In the third set, starting a bit slow, Team USA was stopped four times, but then added seven blocks once they woke up. Sokolov had a great night, but this game proved that just having an awesome hitter isn’t enough, you need a team. Todor Aleksiev, obviously incapable of carrying the load, as his passing area got bigger, killed only six balls in 20 attempts. The combo Skrimov+Sokolov+Aleksiev works well. They’d probably do okay without Aleksiev, but the absence of Skrimov or Sokolov could stop them. On the second night in Reno, with Skrimov feeling better, and the Americans a bit disorganized, things changed, though Sokolov had too many ups and downs. None of the squads were brilliant. That new American setter Caldwell alternated good and embarrassing moments. Kawika Shoji back, please. Camillo Placi probably got very worried in the third set, as his team had a blackout. The Bulgarians were ahead 23-16, but allowed the Americans to get close, being just one point behind. What a mess! Lots of mistakes from both teams throughout the game, just a few good moments. BTW, the 22nd point for Bulgaria in the first set was a good example of Skrimov’s talent.

C’mon John17, at least the tireless Wilfredo, “l'enfant terrible”, is not here to say “great movie” or “XXXXXX is my fave player”. ;-) France has shown the best defensive scheme so far this season. Too bad they didn’t start well the tournament, playing not so good in their first four matches. They presented a more solid game against Poland and played definitely better against Brazil. Apart the horrible Brazilian game on Saturday (our second worst match this season, after that five-setter against the Polacos), “Les Bleus” reminded me of their best days. Laurent Tillie was a genius on the court as a player, perhaps he’ll prove the same status as a coach very soon. Hopefully France will re-edit the performances we saw during the 2001-2004 cycle, or even better. Unfortunately, the points they lost in the first two rounds will stop them from advancing to Mar del Plata, but I’m sure Monsieur Tillie will make Team France a strong contender for ECh. I’ve heard some people complain about N’gapeth, saying he’s unstable. Please, Earvin N’gapeth would be a starter for any team in the world – if he’d finish the match is another story. lol Grebennikov is really good – he signed with Friedrichshafen, which is good for Bundesliga fans. Grebennikov touched almost every ball on defense and he’s also a very solid passer. After the two matches, Sergio told the reporters he has seen many good young liberos around the world, but Grebennikov is fantastic. I hope this guy will honour a position on the French NT where Henno played for several years. Talk about a huge responsibility! Many good players on the French side, but I’d like to mention one guy that probably didn’t get too much attention: Middle blocker Hardy-Dessources. He’s not very tall, but he impresses me with his speed while blocking – it’s amazing how he almost always arrives on the side with a full block, that’s not easy. I saw that Marcelo Fronckowiak, who worked several years in France and now coaches RJX, was the commentator for the French channel. Was he a good commentator?

Thanks, Camnow, for staying focused. Todor Aleksiev is playing better now than ever before. K-is-for-Kate, E-is-for-Evil… C’mon Kate, you’re wrong, I’m eleven! Hey, I didn’t even tell you guys I was surfing before I took that picture… Damn it! I just did it… Hope you guys don’t feel jealous. Kate, give us your impressions of Todor Aleksiev, apart his most notorious moment at the 2010 worlds, of course. I remember you told me once that Sokolov was almost as good as some Russian players. What about Todor (the reason for this video)? What do you think about him? Joel, I won’t ask you anything cuz I know you still don’t understand this fantastic sport, though I took you to several international tournaments and even to that lecture with Lloy Ball in Hoboken. I remember Ball told you to shut up after you asked him if he had that surname because his family really likes sports. Please…

Perfect technique, great timing, he read the hitter move so well. Kaz (Pope Francis?) is damn right about Aleksiev’s left hand. Romanutti tried to use the hand near the antenna, but the Bulgarian left side didn’t give him a chance. Hopefully Camillo Placi will take Bulgaria to the next level. Last year, at the Olympics, when he was an assistant-made-the-head-coach, the team played smart, disciplined, high level volleyball. Sometimes they lost their discipline and precision, especially setting, maybe because of the lack of experience. Camillo put together a pretty good team including one of the best opposites in the world, Sokolov. Also, Skrimov is essential, made their passing line stronger, among other things. Bulgaria should definitely be considered one of the favourites in every major this cycle.

Hey Spike, I was impressed with Wallace since I saw him – high jumper, fast arm, hitting various angles, remains calm under pressure. I wonder when Bernardinho will give Renan Buiatti a chance. This young giant has been training with the NT and has improved in the last season. You certainly know the coach had been reluctant to Vissotto for several seasons. Vissotto is good, I can’t deny, but still too slow. Watching old videos I saw Xandó these days. He was a “killer”, a Brazilian opposite from the 80s, very effective. Then I was reading this old interview with Laurent Tillie, the former French player who’s their coach now. Tillie remarked back then that Xandó was impressive since his youth, but he coulda been even more effective if he were a bit faster. Totally spot on! The game is getting more speed, and a guy like Vissotto loses too many opportunities because of his laziness. Yes, I liked how he developed some defense skills (not much, but at least something), and it’s also evident he’s trying to adjust himself, but I think we have better options. Well, William Arjona could play with Vissotto, no doubt about it, but that would be such a waste, if you know what I mean. For a skilled setter like Arjona, setting high ones is so easy – it’s nothing. In fact, Vissotto’s game is very simple, too old school. So, Arjona wouldn’t have a problem doing that. Zatko or Zygadlo, to mention two guys that call themselves setters, could do that, too. Unfortunately, it probably wouldn’t happen the other way: Vissotto wouldn’t be able to take advantage of Arjona’s abilities. Dunno if you’re aware, but Vissotto was once kicked out of a club because of Ricardo Garcia. The veteran setter couldn’t stand Vissotto’s laziness and asked the team manager to fire the opposite, and he was let go. We know that any team can adapt to Vissotto, but sometimes he can’t make the other way.

I'm sure Wallace can play with any setter, Bitka. He's a pro. ;-)

As for Lucarelli, here's a link in Polish with some information about his injury:
http://blokaut.net/aktualnosci/pokaz/2652/Niegro%C5%BAne+kontuzje+Isaca+i+Lucarellego
He'll be back for the upcoming matches.

@Pearl: o Macerata seria excelente pra ele, mas há a questão financeira. Lembra daquela frase do Lloy Ball? “Você só aprende a jogar pra valer depois que passa pela A1”. Continuo achando a A1 a principal liga do mundo, apesar de alguns revezes. Essa crise é passageira e a A1 vai voltar a ser o que era antes em alguns anos. Aliás, a liga italiana é responsável pelo desenvolvimento do vôlei no ocidente. Um dia podemos discutir isso, seria um excelente tópico. Sobre o Lucarelli, não creio que nenhum clube da A1 possa cobrir a proposta do Sesi atualmente.

@afonsocabral18: eu adoraria vê-lo na A1, mas infelizmente a liga italiana está descendo a ladeira, muitos clubes italianos estão indo à bancarrota. Além disso, o Sesi praticamente dobrou o salário que ele ganhava no Minas Tênis Clube, então acho que ele vai ficar por aqui, como a maioria, que tem tido propostas do exterior cobertas por seus clubes. De qualquer forma, é um tremendo jogador. Lembro quando o Murilo surgiu, ele não era assim tão promissor. Havia um duelo entre Murilo e Minuzzi (este era melhor, mas teve a carreira prejudicada por um problema cardíaco), e o irmão mais novo do Gustavo decolou. Lucarelli tem tudo pra ser fantástico em mais alguns anos.

So many girls on this thread, that’s why it’s so interesting. As you may know, girls are smarter than guys, but please don’t tell this to my friend Hanes233 (aka Hanesvaldo) or he’ll get upset. Crying Rachel, miss you buckets! Have you cried too much lately, my dear? Justie, it was an exposed fracture, but right after the match it was informed that Isac will be back soon. Another newbie, Maurício Souza, replaced him and did well. There are lots of new MBs waiting for a chance: Gustavão (2,16m), Tiago Barth, Bernardo Reitz and Otávio Pinto, among others. Bitka, I do agree with you. I think Vissotto is too slow and he also lacks attention, but I must admit he’s adjusting well. There are two reasons to keep Wallace among the backup players. First, he’s still recovering from an injury (something simple). The other reason is that the backup setter, William Arjona, knows Wallace style really well, as they’ve been playing together, so this affinity would be useful when the coach makes the 5-1 inversion. BTW, Fonteles was in the starting six because Lucarelli was injured.

You know, Rachel, when I heard Fonteles-Lipe-Chupita-Ximbica-Xumbrega had been called to the NT I started to cry. Did you cry, my friend?

I hope you’re not one of those that expect him to make a difference, otherwise you’ll be disappointed.

;-)

@Pascual_Lima_Kiraly: Cool nick, man! This “Lima” is for Maurício, the setter?

You’re NOT supposed to evaluate a player based ONLY on some three-minute movie, no matter how good the clip is. Sometimes you see a player on TV, then you have the chance to watch him live and you discover new things about his game. HOWEVER, if you have a decent video about a player, a clip that brings some plays (properly selected), and you KNOW that player, you can point things out and have a good debate – the images will help. If you DON’T KNOW the athlete and the video is good, you might get an idea – remember people discovering Wout Wijsmans and Hector Soto right here. Unfortunately, all we see is the same stuff over and over. Check out this Tichacek video, then watch the Bratoev one – same thing, like many other videos. These isolated actions say nothing about someone’s game. Well, at least they’re better than those dumb pointless third meter spikes clips…

I never really liked Tichacek, but after watching this movie, I'm starting to like him. LOL Seriously... He’s a good setter, quick thinker, the kind of setter I’d like to have on my team. Some friends told me he didn’t play very well this season. Once I’ve only watched the finals, I really don’t have an opinion on this. Perhaps my friends exaggerated. Next season we’ll see a good fight between him and Fabian Drzyzga. As for the movie, c’mon… How can you analyze a setter performance when all you have is the setting itself without the whole action? It’s pretty much like all these videos were promo or something. Technically they’re useless. Of course, the level of people here doesn’t require sophisticated stuff, but all these clips are more of the same. Just saying. I don’t wanna offend anyone with this comment, don’t wanna see anyone crying.

I thought I was mean, but after reading this evil Pesazi guy I feel like an angel… Why, why God this Pesazi hates Bratoev so much? What? What are you telling me, God? Are you sure? You said “Bratoev sucks”. Okay! Thank God that evil Zyta will arrive only tomorrow, otherwise the good people here couldn’t stand so much evilness without a pause to breathe.


“Serve, block and Matey”. Hahahaha... Perfect definition! I’d say Skrimov gave the Bulgarians more stability. I have a Dante’s interview talking about how surprised he was with some Bulgarian players in 2012 – but obviously I won’t copy it here, so they’ll be dying to know what he said. Skrimov and Sokolov are great assets for Bulgaria. If only they had a better setter… But nooooo, they have Bratoev, a guy that remind us of Zhekov, that useless, untalented setter, a guy that almost makes Zygadlo thinks he can be considered a real setter.


Why someone would be a Bulgaria hater? They play such a beautiful game, so rich, so much technique, they have lots of talents… No, wait… That’s Cameroon – the best of the best. I made a mistake.

Pesazi, I can’t wait to see Dimitrov being given a real chance on the Bulgarian team. I saw him playing in the Bulgarian league (yes, they have one), that evil girl Champion gave me some links, so I was there… Trying to find some reason to keep watching (I guess people in that small gym too, once there was only half a dozen guys watching Sofia Gods vs. Varna Lions). Suddenly I noticed that Dimitrov guy, and I couldn’t deny there was talent on the court. That boy is what Bulgaria needs to achieve more significant things in vball, maybe reaching the elite. Think about it, they have good hitters and blockers. Okay, their passing and digging isn’t superb, but they can improve. With a decent libero, a solid receiver like that talented Skrimov, and then Dimitrov setting… Believe me, they’ll be much stronger.


Hahahahahaha

BTW, the best setter is probably the Cameroonian guy, but let’s discuss this some other time.


Hahahahahaha (2)

That’s the problem of 99% of the movies here… They show nothing. Well, when someone doesn’t get the sport, you can’t expect them to give you something… It’s like expecting some quality from… Let’s say, Bratoev. LOL