Short characterization
BULGARIA
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STARTING PLAYERS / SUBSTITUTES |
RANKING 2000 - 2008 |
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BUL started the tournament with two victories against CHN (3:1) and Japan (3:1), but later, during the course of the tournament, they could not beat the other European teams from ITA (0:3) and RUS (1:3) - who were also considered as favourites - and therefore came in on position 5 in the end.
Team in general
· Team formation – good mixture of older, experienced players (6 > 30 years) and players of medium age (24-26 years); with No 3 Zhekov, they have an outstanding setter who is also positioned very well in scoring elements (block/serve).
· They prefer playing via outside positions and backcourt pos. 1 – offense mainly rests on the shoulders (> 55 %) of players No 6 Kaziyski and No 11 Nikolov.
· Few first-tempo attacks and backcourt 6 (Pipe) – predictable distribution of balls – all in all, strengths in scoring elements.
Serve
· Very good capacity to vary jump serves (regarding: power, spin and placing) – 3 players in the ranking list of the best 10 players (Kaziyski, Zhekov and Nikolov)!
· As a team, they are on position 4 with only 1.04 points a set.
Reception
· Instable reception with high failure rate (>10 %); often, libero No 13 Salparov takes over from 3-player formation in case of a jump serve and also from a 2-player formation in case of a floater.
Set / Attack Complex 1 and Complex 2
· Technically skilled and precise setting from No 3 Zhekov for the main attackers Nikolov and Kaziyski – varies the speed of setting to outside positions well – likes playing fast combination backset!
· Attack in complex I: Predictable distribution of balls is compensated for with precise and variable speed of setting as well as the attackers (Kaziyski and Nikolov) individual quality of playing. First-tempo attacks mostly after perfect reception!
Attack in complex II: Strong emphasis on outside attack and backcourt attack pos. 4/1 via No 6 Kaziyski and No 11 Nikolov (TOP scorer position 5 and 7)!
Block / Defence
· Always maintain their special positions in block; in defence, the middle blocker, like the outside attackers, usually go to pos. 6 during backcourt attack (pipe) – they also vary between libero and outside attackers!
· Fourth best team with 2.96 avg points by set – setter No 3 Zhekov on position 5 in the ranking list of the best block players (0.7 avg by set).
· Libero No 13 Salparov with 2.6 avg by set of blocked balls on position 3 in the ranking list of the best diggers – setter No 3 Zhekov (1.7 avg by set) on position 10.