FIRST "DOUBLE"!
For the first time in its history, the Russian team won the trophy twice in a row, and both times in the final we beat the hosts. Comparisons and analogies suggest themselves: we went through both Leagues of Nations with a new head coach and a serious rotation of the squad. Now they talk a lot about the atmosphere in the national team, but even a year ago the players unanimously argued, that the atmosphere was perhaps the key factor in victory.
Now about the differences. In the penultimate round of the smooth part of the national championship, Gazprom-Ugra goes to visit the team, but that same rotation “scrolled through” completely different people over the course of two years. A year ago, Kabeshov was in the cage, Sokolov, Feoktistov, Karpukhov, Shkulyavichus, Markin, Bakun. Nynche – Yakovlev, Kurkaev, Golubev, The forest, Voronkov, Semyshev, The place of the second central was taken by a native of Nizhnevartovsk Maxim Kosmin, Klets... Vlasov, played very well in the preliminary part of the last League of Nations, lost in this one, and Kobzar – on the contrary, came to the fore. Also, one cannot ignore the progress of central blockers - Filippov has turned from a serving player into a full-fledged fighter, and Kurkaev and Yakovlev so confidently occupied a place on the site, that even Musersky will have to try, to push them back to the net.
Our pair of finishers Klyuka-Volkov is beyond competition, Viktor Poletaev keeps the level... As for the finishers, this is the world top, and Gossip, pah-pah-pah, perhaps, the best in his craft (or art?) here and now (Shout out to Anderson for his MVP.). Finishing the game is the backbone of any team, and we have it very durable. Another thing, that there are never too many such players, and behind a couple of “torchbearers” we still have question marks. Which, hope, sooner or later will straighten up into exclamation marks. Well, of course, this team could use Evgeniy Andreev - when he gets into shape, definitely won't hurt.
As for the rest... The thought involuntarily comes to mind - strengthening this team, of course, perhaps, but is it really necessary?? In Lille a year ago Musersky, Mikhailov and Volvich were on the site, we got along without them now. Please understand correctly - and Mikhailov, and Musersky were and remain a very valuable asset, which is a sin not to use. But it is unlikely that Tuomas Sammelvuo will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and begin to seriously “settle down” the entire roster for the Olympic selection. The team is already there, she's ready. Just some touches needed. And the main selection challenge for Sammelvuo is not Mikhailov and Musersky at all, and the position of the binder.
Igor Kobzar went through the whole season like a storm, almost no replacements, what's in the club, what's on the team. The club won the national championship, in the national team – Nations League. At the same time, the quality of his passes in recent games has been limping, raised questions and decisions made. But let the coaching staff figure out the tactics, with technology - the player himself, and the winners, as known, don't judge. Or they judge - but on a separate scale.
Kobzar won his current place in the team and deserved it – with his character, confidence, charge. Became a real captain. I think, Sammelvuo will not withdraw his bet from him - the question is, who and in what capacity will go to the Olympic selection with him. Igor needs competition and pressure, this is his habitat. At the same time, he no less needs a sense of his own leadership and relevance. An interesting psychological puzzle: leave Kovalev or call someone more experienced, Butko or Grankina?
However, all these are details and pleasant chores. The main result of the League of Nations is not even the title, and the presence of a new combat-ready team in Russia. If Shlyapnikov began to allow a more or less wide range of recruits to get to the ball, then under Sammelvuo we actually formed a national team, capable of winning without London 2012 champions. This is the team, aimed at Tokyo 2020, and she has already passed her first hardening. The real battle test is ahead.
