The 2023 Women's World Volleyball League kicks off today, and the Chinese women's volleyball team will make its season debut tomorrow. The second season of the Paris cycle began, and the direction of the efforts of the powerhouses also shifted from selecting new talents to building a more reasonable roster. Like last year's World League, the Chinese women's volleyball team is still captained by Cai Bin and Yuan Xinyue, but the composition of personnel has changed slightly. Not only will the main attack Zhonghui and the second setter Xu Xiaoting represent the national team for the first time in the World League, but the main setter Diao Linyu will also pick up the burden of the core of the organization for the first time without the escort of veterans. The author takes stock of the six highlights of the Chinese women's volleyball team competing in this year's World League.
Group photo of Chinese women's volleyball team training in Zhangzhou
Point 1: Whether there can be a breakthrough in the results of the World War II World League in the Paris cycle
This is Cai Bin's second time to play in the World League after returning to the helm of the Chinese women's volleyball coach. Last year, the Chinese team ranked 4th in the 8-4 tournament and advanced to the finals, and the finals were frustrated by Italy's 4th final and fell to 6th. Although the loss to two Asian powers, Japan and Thailand, was criticized, the results and strength basically matched.
Although the volleyball management center does not have clear performance requirements for the Chinese women's volleyball team in the commercial competition of the World League, after the run-in and adaptation of last season, the team should have higher expectations for itself in the new season. Ranking among the top 8 and advancing to the finals held in the United States is still the bottom line of the Chinese women's volleyball team. The World League finals all adopt a single-elimination system, and the Chinese team must strive for a breakthrough in results, or it depends on the performance of the 1/4 final.
Point 2: Attack and blocking need to be improved, and expect captain Yuan Xinyue to break through the bottleneck
Zhu Ting has not returned to the national team since the East Olympics, and last year, Cai Bin chose Yuan Xinyue, the most senior deputy among the trainees, as the captain, which also increased the burden on the shoulders of "Little Apple".
As the captain, Yuan Xinyue works hard and has always held herself to high standards, but unfortunately her performance last season was not outstanding. The attack that he is good at is not even as crisp as the diagonal Wang Yuanyuan, and the weak blocking and cooperation with the second setter Diao Linyu have not improved significantly. Now that this Chinese women's volleyball team has been damaged by strong attack, it needs more secondary attacks in the attack, and whether Yuan Xinyue can break through the bottleneck of development is crucial.
The Chinese women's volleyball team focuses on Li Yingying
Point 3: Whether Li Yingying, the main offensive line, can find a good helper with the banner
Zhu Ting and Zhang Changning were absent for a long time, and last year Li Yingying really became the main offensive line of the Chinese women's volleyball team, and the World League and the World Championship gained a lot. This season, the Chinese team still relies on Li Yingying to carry the flag on the offensive end, and only her offensive strength is relatively prominent among the side attacks.
As the player with the heaviest burden on both ends of the team, Li Yingying needs more support from her teammates. Among the diagonal main attacks that were examined last year, only Wang Yunbi let everyone see progress at the World Championships, and Jin Ye and Wang Yizhu, who performed poorly and have both been returned. This year, Zhonghui won the first opportunity to investigate, and Du Qingqing joined the competition again, and the power of the duo's attack in the international arena needs to be tested in real battle.
Highlight 4: Whether Diao Linyu, who did not have the second pass for the first time, can be stable
Diao Linyu is the second setter who is most in line with the tactical guiding ideology of coach Cai Bin in China, and it is reasonable to be entrusted with a heavy task, but its technical stability has been criticized. This year, Ding Xia did not register for the World League, Yao Di was not called up to the national team, and for the first time there was no veteran in the second setter position.
Diao Linyu, 29, will truly shoulder the burden alone, taking Xu Xiaoting, who is 4 years younger than her and was selected for the national first team for the first time, to take on the responsibility of the core of the organization. In the absence of the escort of the veterans, can Diao Linyu stand on the field? Has her cooperation with Li Yingying and Yuan Xinyue improved?
The Chinese women's volleyball team took over from Gong Xiangyu
Point 5: Who can really share for Gong Xiangyu after many years of unchanged
Since the emergence in 2016, Gong Xiangyu has been the main receiver of the Chinese women's volleyball team. To this day, the Chinese team has not only not found her replacement in the receiving position, but even a qualified replacement is difficult to find. This year is Gong Xiangyu's eighth year in the national team, and she has already successfully completed the transition to a full-fledged reception.
In addition to Gong Xiangyu and Li Yingying, the Chinese team is difficult to find a side attack with both attack and defense, so whether Gong Xiangyu's offensive level and tandem ability can continue to improve is crucial. Deputy attack Zheng Yixin changed to reception, Du Qingqing can be competent for the main attack and reception positions, whether they can bring some novelty to the receiving position is what everyone expects.
Highlight 6: Whether Zhonghui Xu Xiaoting can successfully stay in the World League in the first game
Mainly attacking Zhonghui and setter Xu Xiaoting are both playing in the World League for the first time. Zhonghui has strong hair buckle ability and outstanding temperament, but unfortunately her height is average, and her breakthrough ability in the international arena is the focus of the national team's inspection this time. Xu Xiaoting's passes to the second and fourth positions were relatively high in Shanghai, which contradicted coach Cai Bin's requirements for speeding up the two wings, and whether she can complete the task of substitute setter well remains to be tested.
Since Zhang Lei and Ma Yunwen, Shanghai local players have not achieved much in the national team. Last year's World League main libero Wang Weiyi was not called up this season, and it will be interesting to see if Zhonghui and Xu Xiaoting can successfully pass the assessment of coach Cai Bin and stay in the team!
Since Cai Bin took office, she has always emphasized the team's team spirit and tenacious struggle, and the Chinese women's volleyball team has also shown a good mental outlook in the new cycle. In the international arena full of strong players, it is not enough to fight, and what is more needed to achieve good results is technical support. In this World League, I hope that the women's volleyball girls can let everyone see more of their technical and tactical weaknesses and the improvement of overall cooperation!