Michal TOP 500

raylight I can't believe you think Możdżonek reaches high and can be compared to Dima even in this simple physical aspect. That's a myth spread by our comentators, just take a look at his spikes, he's 211cm tall and you can rarely see his head over the net. I'm talking about that, because his height for someone who doesn't watch his game carefully could be a big privilege- nothing more wrong. It's commonly said that tall players lack coordination. Point me at least one, that moves nearly as funny as Możdżonek. Ever played "Heroes might and magic"? Know how "Ent" moves? Summing up he has no special reach, no spike, no defence, no block (seen him trying to read Ball, Esko and other setters who play various volleyball?) When I'm a bit down or in a bad mood I always try to imagine him playing against Ricardo. He can be a star... against team Venezuela ; )

"I’ll surely watch him again." So will I. To be honest I never liked him as a person, he seemed rude to me, so I once asked myself why he has to be in the national team, and tried to explain it objectivelly. When I watched his game carefully I got the answer. I can understand that for you, a person who got used to Ricardo setting he might be an ordinary setter, or just good, but if you compare him to the big guys the precipice isn't that big, at least if we're talking about making choices and frequency of cheating blockers. What I could fully agree on is that he's nothat precise as the 2 mentioned, especially the American, who has technically the most brilliant set in the world. I think that's the aspect that makes Ball and Grbic better than Pawel. And here I could be back to what I said about his introducion in the modern style. But of course it's not an explaination at all- that's the same situation like saying it's not Wlazly's fault he can't spike efficient with no approach, cause he's not as athletic as for example Grozer or Omrcen so can't generate so much power in a second. raylight you must be joking about the middles. How can you compare Możdżonek to Yosifov for example? That's an insult to your countryman. I'm not saying this to defend Zagumny, but the Bulgarian pair is what we need in our NT. Poland has probably the most anemic middles in the world, when it comes to spiking I would shit my pants as a setter after every ball sent to them. Pliński is a good blocker, slower than before but he's still acceptable, as I said before there's no sense to consider Możdżonek as a player at all. Kadziewicz was a kind of salvation to us, he's not a floor destroyer, but enough dynamic to be found useful. Apart from spiking Bulgaria was the best blocking Team in WL, with Yosifov on the top. Setter criterion is unclear, but this one says quite much.

First of all Raul Lozano changed a lot, he foisted Zagumny to play faster. It's commonly known he always endeavours to the Brazilian game system and finds it the only way to be at the top today. Of course guys like Grbic and Ball play on a high level for over a dozen years, Zagumny was introduced in the modern system quite late. The main role of the setter is cheating the block, and as you said there's no criterion based on stats that can objectively point if a setter is good or not. Just from my observation I can say Zagumny cheats the block quite frequently, at least when the reception is somewhere arround 3rd meter. He has a nice shift, maybe occurs more technical mistakes than in case of Ball and Grbic, but still it can be considered good. He doesn't play simple in transition, at least a Russian "candle" is not what you can see in his repertory. I would say it's all about choices, that's hard to say a one thing and end the discussion, as setter is dependant on all the players. I will give you a fresh example- WL2009 Finals. Someone who would turn his TV on could say Grbic's the most limited player ever, and would get bored of houndreds of sets to Milijkovic and ocassional first tempo. But these were the best choices he could make, because the left sides couldn't handle with single block, or even the net. But everybody knows Grbic can play variously, depending on the situation, just take a look at him in Cuneo, where he has no gap, and can spread his wings wide. Same thing about Pawel in WCH2006 or EC2009. Yes we had an easy group and a lot of luck, but when all the spikers appeared there in a good shape there you could see him playing variously, because he felt every zone had been able to bring points. I just think Zagumny is able to know what's good for his team, and what can lead to the victory. You'll say: "Yea, I can deduce that from the latest results". But what you have to know is the fact our spikers are very, very unstable, and basically none of them can keep a high level even for a few months. In every major competition we obtained a nice result Zagumny kept he same level of distribution. "Guma" got some awards you don't get serious, I can understand that, because the formula is unclear. So the question is "if the spikers made Zagumny get this prizes?" To be honest I'm closer to believe Zagumny is a top setter setter, than we have 3-4 world class spikers, at least what I could see so far.

"Ball and Grbic are two classes above Zagumny ... " Nightfox that's funny how you change your mind, cause just a few months ago you wrote: "Best setter in the world ! So clever ..", now your saying he's 2 classes below Ball and Grbic. If someone says Ball and Grbic are better, that's ok and nothing special, but do you know what "2 classes mean"? You just got a bit angry at some Poles and try to give them back twice as much. raylight Zhekov is better physically than Zagumny (who's kinda fragile). Andrey blocks very well and has a nice jump serve, same about Ball and Grbic, they all can even spike well if needed, but when it comes to setting Zagumny is much better than Zhekov.

Yea, that's kinda surprise, Cuneo players look like they don't care, lol.

Yes I do. That might have sounded kinda gay here, but I love to observe players' style, always try to find differences and similarities, apart from all the volleyball tactical aspects. Soto is one of the best to watch ever, plus he has amazing skills.

Skra has some extra players in their lineup. 4 of them located in the corners and 2 by the net. Amazing performance, especially by Ralph Barnstorf- the German has some amazing scoring abilities. I don't think any of the players can take away his MVP title in this match.

Everytime I watch him playing I can't get enough of looking at his body swing. That's one of the most unique spike styles ever. That's sharp! Top scorer at every major competition, even though everyone knows three fourth of the sets goes to Soto, he remains efficient- magnificent player!

Definitely.

"Kurek a sub? for now he is only Polish player which can be in first squad in HEAD claubs in Serie" No way. There are a lot better players in teams like Cuneo, Trento, Macerata at his position. Also no way someone in those "weaker" clubs of Serie A would replace players like Kovacevic, Zlatanov, Vujevic etc. with Kurek.

"In the few moments he dares doing something not so obvious, the result isn't great." That's exactly the lack of precision I was thinking of. Appears when he's trying to set quicker than normally.

Henrique I think the problem is "SuperExpress" in common with "Fakt" are two most unreliable outlets in Poland, tenderly called "pavement press". But to me personally these sums sound quite fair.

Well yeah, but it's a derivative of his unstable front set, just in my opinion. You can hardly see him making a quick and precise set to zone 4, which is in fact the most basic, often and necessary play in modern volleyball, not mention first tempo, where you have to make a nice "throw" from 3rd-4th meter with variety of zones, depending on reception, while a 10cm mistake makes your middle look like a windmill.

Zhekov's biggest problem is his front set. He has a nice and precise back set, strange but it's incomparably better than the basic form.

So could somebody tell me why the Russians would pay a few million dollars for Matey, while they have an equal player like Winiarski? Kaziyski is just a more valueable player in the most important moments.

1. Poland - Bulgaria highlights (Roninho)
2. World Champs 2010 highlights (vtnklmdc)
3. Piotr Gruszka (chrison)

I know these are mainly CSKA football fans coming there for free, but when we're talking about supporting players they're the best in the world. Too bad they had some issues, coz for me that kind of cheering is the best what a player could ever experience.

"słyszę po raz enty"

Możdżonka w to nie mieszaj ?

That's just outstanding.

"Just a little lacking in the Italian or Russian." Politely said, but the truth is not that polite.