We're back in the race
This weekend we have a third consecutive double weekend, in which Gazprom-Yugra has good chances to replenish the reserve of victories and points. But it will be hard. And when it was easy? It was definitely not easy with ASK - last season we lost twice to Nizhny Novgorod in tie-breaks. maybe, it's time to pay off debts.
In the camp of our rivals,, what is called, point changes - but in key positions. Igor Shulepov, who raised the team, Ukrainian specialist Yuri Filippov replaced the head coach. A lot of French diagonal John Wendt who has tormented us – player of the Ukrainian national team Dmitry Viyetsky, ASK's current main attack weapon. With him there will be no less hassle! Instead of Alexander Markin, a colorful Andrei Titich appeared in the game, the position of the talented libero Sergey Melkozerov was closed by Artem Zelenkov.
In the center of the grid, we will still see the unfading veteran Viktor Nikonenko, in the key position of the binder - Latvian Denis Petrovs. In the final game, a pair of Titic will be, probably, Ivan Valeev, since Alexander Pyatyrkin was out of service in recent matches. Another new face is the young blocker Alexander Melnikov. We named the main performers of the Volga harmonious ensemble, whose strength, primarily, in well-established interactions and experience. Experience, however, has a downside, in two matches in a row, older players will find it difficult to maintain fresh strength.
Whatever it was, ASK is a very serious rival, as evidenced by the latest team results. Here the citizens of Nizhny Novgorod followed the trail of Gazprom-Yugra, defeating at a party "Yenisei" 3:1 and beating "Belogorie" at home 3:0. And in the standings we go toe to toe: ASK overtakes Surgutyan only by additional indicators.
But the significance of the upcoming matches is not only that, which of the rivals will be higher according to their total. Here the price is more significant: who will enter the end of the preliminary part of the championship with the best chances of catching on the playoffs. obviously, that two victories will seriously improve them, one - just leave, and the defeat is minimized. January, the most important for the Surgut team, rolls over to the finish, and despite the very impressive results (four wins in five matches), this is not enough - too much for objective reasons was lost in the past year. In 2021, Gazprom-Yugra returned to the race and is not going to lag behind.
