FORK SAMMELVIO
The third weekend in the League of Nations came out for the Russian team multi-vector in all directions. As for the result - it all depends on the point of view. One side, victory over Poland and Canada in such a game is an absolute plus in team karma. With another, dry defeat from Iran under all justifying circumstances - so-so pleasure.
Well, about the game: in Ufa, six harnesses raced hoof to hoof, picking up speed. It seemed, what will happen in Iran if it’s not just as easy, the, at least, just as smoothly. However, the players lost their pace, began to tear the harness and began to amble. Probably, this is natural, because the new head coach of the national team was faced with a fork that was previously unfamiliar to him: how to show the result (and it is necessary to show it to a young coach, proving its worth), at the same time introducing fresh forces into battle with an eye to a long season. Sammelvuo had a negative experience in Kuzbass - the rest of the main players in the regular season home match with Zenit Kazan. maybe, after this there was a certain set of teeth on edge for such decisions.
As a result: Klyuk and Volkov clearly had too much time on the court, which ended with injury for the first, and for the second – a serious functional decline. Choosing between rotation and guaranteed victories (here she is, fork), Sammelvuo preferred the reserves in the standings to the strength reserves of the main pair of finishers. Quite possible, that he did the right thing - the Fakel players go on vacation with a sense of duty fulfilled for the moment, after all, the tournament piggy bank is quite weighty. But you have to pay for everything - and this payment was defeat from Iran. For the prospects of reaching the Final Six, this is not so scary - there are enough games ahead with teams from the bottom of the standings. Long-haul flights to Brazil and Australia are a little confusing, as well as the now inevitable introduction of fresh, but unfired forces. On the other hand, don't forget, that the League of Nations is far from a priority tournament, ahead is the European Championship and, the main thing, Olympic selection.
And at the Olympic selection our main rival will be Iran. Yes, the fans will be ours this time, judging is more objective, plus Mikhailov will probably appear, Musersky, Volvich and one of the experienced setters. But we have noticeably raised the psychological background of the Iranians. Let's remember this and put it off until August - the decisive stage of the League of Nations is ahead.
PHOTO: www.volleyball.world
