Nagoya (Japan)

Soon after the stunning victory of the Italian team in the 2007 World Cup, I try give a comment about the first four teams.

Italy
Italian team played the “perfect” tournament: 11 victories in a row with only two sets lost from the beginning. I’m Italian and I’m worried to celebrate too much because I would like to be as equable as possible. But I cannot say anything less than wonderful, absolutely wonderful.
Usually in Volleyball, one of the most important skills is the aptitude to play the long rallies without any disappointment. Italian athletes not only played a lot of lasting rallies without any concern but seemed that they were looking for. If the opponent team got an unbelievable dig Italia were ready to do better. If the setting was not perfect, they didn’t risk uselessly and they hit soft on the block ready to cover. These are the simple things the make great teams.
Soon after the match end Barbolini (Italian coach ) said: “the biggest gift for a coach is seeing his team playing as we have done.”

Brazil
The effects of the defeat in the 2006 World Championship Final is still recognizable on the Brazilian team. This is the squad that for many years played the most beautiful Volleyball, quick, powerful and tactically developed. The last year, they lost against the brutal strength of Russian team in a startling and surprising match. Since then, they lost confidence and now they are trying to find a new way to follow. Italy, USA and Serbia have improved fast, on the contrary Brazil seems standing. This stillness is more psychological than technical because the Brazilian players are very talented but now they are suffering from the pessimistic and unenthusiastic environment. Ze Roberto has eight months to prepare the next Olympic Games, but first of all he has to solve this dangerous issue.

USA
This is the typical Us team although the coach is Chinese (Lang Ping). Traditionally North Americans squads are very pragmatic and concrete. Many years ago they developed the first system to analyze thoroughly the opponents and since then, they have been following accurately the selected strategy. During the match they keep remembering the plan avoiding any inattention. Playing against them is very complicated because they don’t make unnecessary mistakes and each point have to be gained through effort. This group is a real team, very balanced without any superstar but with many excellent players.
In this World Cup, US team played fine showing, one more time, a firm consistency. They got the berth to Beijing at the first chance, gaining time to increase their skills, as Lang Ping said. Today only the Italian team is performing better and Americans accept the challenge: in eight months will they be able to reach the “azzure” game level?

Cuba
Caribbean squad is the last team in the World playing with the old system called 4-2 (four spiker and two setters). This was a peculiarity of the “invincible” Women Cuban team in nineties (three Olympic Gold medals, two World Championship and much more…). At that time the Cuban physical superiority was shocking but they achieved those astonishing results exploiting also their fine technical skills.
The Cuban team seen at the 2007 World Cup, cannot rely just on muscle power. Nowadays, the worldwide Volleyball level is too high and developed, that's why they have to adjust their way to come back to the top. They have to cut down the many silly mistakes and improve the passing and digging quality. They could still play with the two setters system, only if  Santos and Ramirez , the two setters, quit to focus first on serve, then on attack and block and, only at the end, on setting. Almost certainly, they love too much spiking and they forget their most important aim: generate the best condition for their team-mates to perform at the best.


Bye bye andrea zorzi