2022 FIVB World Championships

Not only Franti, but Ogbogu was resting also, who has been the USA's best middle so far. And he then substituted most of the bench players in for the starters during the rest of the match. Karch did the same thing against China in the VNL 2021. He played Kim Hill as libero and had a lot of bench players in also. Karch didn't want to win this match. This match really didn't mean anything. USA has a good chance to beat all of the teams that they will play from pool B in the second round so this was a throw away match.

Edit.  Also, there is no crossover in this tournament.  The top 4 in Pool B merge with the top 4 in Pool C.  The Pool C teams will play each of the teams in Pool B; 4 games.   Then the top 4 teams in the merged pool play each other in the knockout round, 1st plays 4th and 2nd plays 3rd for the quarterfinals and the winners of those two games play each other in the semi-finals.  The only time any team in pool B or C can play a team in Pools A or D in the final.   

There is such wailing and gnashing of teeth in the "other forum". Drews had a bad game so she should be replaced. Drews is the same player that came in for JT in the Olympics and continued the high level of play for the USA OPP position. Poulter didn't do well and SHE should be replaced; not just by Carlini, but off the roster. You're kidding right? The only reason that Poulter and JWO are playing is because they were out for two matches and Karch wants to get them back in game shape. You can forgive a fair bit of Poulter's play cuz the receiving wasn't very good. Ogbogu has been the best blocker for USA and she was out. Franti has been the best hitter for the USA, (and probably top 3 in the tournament), and she wasn't playing. The blocking for the USA was terrible. USA only had 1 block the entire match.

Many are saying that Serbia is going to go to the finals and maybe win the entire tournament. Serbia beat the USA in the VNL 2022 quarterfinals 29-27, 25-23, 20-25, 20-25 and 15-13. Karch said in an interview that it took the USA two sets to figure out the problem in the Serbia match. I went back and watch the match. What was the change in the USA team? Franti came in for Plummer. Plummer wasn't producing. Franti came in and played the lights out game that she's been playing this whole tournament. Plus, I'm pretty sure that Franti is a better defensive player and a better receiver. IMHO, Karch didn't want to beat Serbia and give them more incentive to beat the USA in the knock out round. Let Serbia be over confident. That works in the USA's favor.

Nyline, you're probably right. I think a better way of stating it is that Karch didn't want Serbia to have more chances to analyze the USA players and system. Plus, it's gives him a chance to give the non-starters opportunities to play and to show them areas that they need to work on. He'd probably be fine winning with the second stringers.

It reminds me of Phil Jackson when coaching the Chicago Bulls in the 1991 championship season. On the western road trip, usually 7 games, he would put the bench players in starting the 2nd quarter, after the starters had roared out to a 10-15 pt lead. The bench players would promptly lose the lead and the starters would come in and most of the time, need to start over with a tie score or close to a tie score. I'm sure that process was frustrating to the starters, BUT, he developed the 2nd string to the point that during one of the final games against the Lakers, (game 4 or 5 I think), the 2nd string was able to come in and rescue the first string in the 4th quarter when the 1st string just didn't have it.

Dick Motta, the 2nd Bulls coach, was notorious for not playing rookies/developing players. When those bulls in the 1974 - 1975 season, were able to get to the conference finals, they ran out of gas, because that team typically only played 7-8 players.

A good coach will give his 2nd string players opportunities to develop/fail. One of the famous football coaches, I think Bill Walsh, said something about how great players learned to deal with failure. Part of getting better is learning where you need to improve.

A long-winded answer to say I agree with you.