Aside from the Komova stuff, obviously.
1. Grishina’s not going anywhere for a while.
Poor thing has shitawful luck, and it seems to get worse every year. We’re not sure yet what the injury is, but are hearing partial ACL tear and kneecap dislocation. Ouch. The voyeurs amongst you can find it on youtube, we prefer to hang onto our lunches.
As well as being a personal tragedy for her, this also makes things difficult for the team because she was looking pretty usable on beam and floor.
We’re just wondering if there’s anything else that can go wrong for her.
2. Mother Russia appear to have taken a leaf out of the USAG book.
Virtually everyone got overscored to the tune of at least 0.5. You need to knock several tenths off to have a realistic idea what routines of this quality will score at Euros.
3. Afanasyeva is fat and slovenly
In her opinion, not ours. She apparently wrote that on some social networking site. Presumably referring to her performance on floor rather than her quite serviceable DTY. Brownyn is already on the way over to buck her up a bit. If she’s slovenly, there isn’t a word in the English or indeed Russian language that will do for much of the slop out there right now.
Her vault was alright, though.
4. Three tumbles and a million spins is the new black
Just ask Musty. She’s been spinning like a mothertucker.
Some would call it code whoring, but in Aliya’s case it will surely improve the overall look of the routine no end. This isn’t like an Afan 2013 situation, when she took out chunks of actual choreography to make way for dance elements.
And importantly, it means only one twisting pass- surely a good thing for Queen Musty and her helicopter legs? Plus unlike some, she doesn’t dance like she’s either a long dead corpse or a sheep on anti-psychotic medication. So in her case, what’s not to like?
5. They’d still be absolutely fucked without Mustafina
Self-explanatory really. If they win Euros, it will be because of another Herculean effort by the warrior princess of gymnastics herself.
No doubt the Rodionenkos will find some way to attribute blame to her anyway, though.
6. We’re pretty sure what the Euros team will be
Apparently it’s virtually certain to be Mustafina, Komova, Kharenkova, Sosnitskaya and Spiridova, as good a choice as any.
Forward to Sofia, comrades!
STOI! 
April 11th, 2014 at 11:33 am
ohh i missed reading your blogs 😀
April 10th, 2014 at 11:25 pm
Yeah, Afaan still resting from surgery so no Euros for her. I like the two Sosnitskaya and Spiridova. I hope they can handle the nerves and perform well at Euros, as Russia needs depth badly and these two did well at nationals. Paseka on the other hand, needs to step up big time, she isn’t even the best on her only event.
However, pressure will all be on Aliya to do the AA, as I am sure Komova will only do 3 apparatuses and the others will be on only their best pieces.
I don’t know what they will do when Aliya retires…they better hope she sticks around for while.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:14 am
Leaving Afan out of Euros is traditional.
C
April 8th, 2014 at 3:21 am
I’d say less fucked than we thought though without Aliya. They are after all leaving two good DTY’s and a 15+ bar set at home, and Alla provides enough cover on the other events.
April 9th, 2014 at 8:31 am
Afan’s DTY is certainly servicable, as more and more time passes I am less inclined to call Paseka’s ‘good’. And her Lopez is simply dreadful now, there are no words to describe how bad her block is. And her form in the air. And the landing. And she’s pretty much useless on all other events, which makes it a grand waste of one spot taking her. Alla is more consistent, has a Lopez that is a million times better that I wish she’d try to upgrade, and can be used on all events in the event someone craps out / does a Nabs-Worlds-2013 (though Mother Russia would have to be in a pretty sad state if it wanted to use a 5.4 beam and 5.9 bars…)