strengths and "weaknesses" of the top guys

Discussion in 'Professional Players' started by dominikk1985, Oct 21, 2013.

  1. dominikk1985

    dominikk1985 Regular Member

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    I'm quite new to badminton and I started to watch a lot of matches and I cannot really see different tactics yet. they will all mix up short balls, high balls and smashes more or less.

    I have not really found a "scouting report" of the top players. can you describe the "style of play" (preferred stategies) of the current top guys and what are their strengths and weaknesses (probably everything is a strength and nothing a weakness or they would not be on top but some things might be a tad better or worse.

    maybe even rate skills on a x/10 scale.

    so how would you describe the strategies and rate the parts of their game (LD, LCW, chen long...)
     
  2. dominikk1985

    dominikk1985 Regular Member

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    for example I watched a lot of LD vs LCW matches. to me it seems like LCW is almost equal to LD in smashing and defense but not very good at the net (still good of course but not LD good:)). he rarely kills balls there and sometimes leaves up weak replies to LD who is very good at the net. even chen long seems to be better at the net than LCW. do you think that observation is correct?
     
  3. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    Ok, first of all, there is no ball in badminton. lol

    It's a shuttlecock, shuttle or if you're in the states, bird.

    Secondly, the LCW I've seen is one of the best net players! He can play any shot from any where behind his back while doing a headstand with a beer in his left hand! lol...

    It's an interesting topic you've started here, I guess no player/coach will give away their tactics if they're still competing so all we can do is guess at what they're trying to do. In essence Badminton is a game where you are not usually looking for outright winners straightaway. You play until your opponent either makes an error or plays a weak shot and gives you an opportunity to capitalise. So that is the basic "tactic" that all players will be working towards. Some may be aggressive in their style to force an error while others may be more patient and happy to retrieve and counterattack where possible.
     
  4. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Yeah, that is one of LCW's weakness. His net play could be better, already it's better than previous yrs, but it's obvious the Chinese MS players are aware of this weakness.
     
  5. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    If OP is Cantonese, he's probably directly translating, as in Cantonese we also call the shuttle the ball. In Mandarin, it's called shuttle.
     
  6. phili

    phili Regular Member

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    Or he calls it ball because the german word for a shuttlecock is "Federball".
     
  7. fauci

    fauci Regular Member

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    These guys all have some routinely used tactics, but they change them very quickly and dynamically during matches, because they don't want to be predictable. Their style of play also changes over time. Lin Dan, for example, is the strongest in essentially all aspects of badminton, except perhaps attacking backhand.

    Some former and current Chinese coaches and national players often times serve as co-commentators. There're also some excellent commentators from Hong Kong. Listening to these people's commentaries helps appreciate the core details of badminton, e.g. leg strength, court positioning, anticipation, footwork, fine racket movement, torso muscle strength and wisdom. You would not learn much listening to Gillian Clark. She doesn't sound like a professional player despite the fact that she was in the old days.

    By the way, the word for shuttlecock in Chinese is exactly the same as Federball, regardless you speak Madarin or Cantonese or others.
     
    #7 fauci, Oct 23, 2013
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2013
  8. senior888

    senior888 Regular Member

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    LCW greatest weakness vs LD is mental - LCW is mentally weak - whilst against CL his weakness
    is physical.
    To be good at the net, a player must be mentally strong as the margin of error is so slim.
    LD is superb and mentally strong thats why he always win when he wants to, and he can play
    superb shots due to extreme confidence and belief in his own ability - meaning LD can reproduce 99%
    of his training form whilst LCW maybe 80%.
     
  9. Licin

    Licin Regular Member

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    Spot on, guys...

    LCW net play is superb for sure. However, when playing against player who he usually lost, for example Lin Dan, he seems to be nervous every time they both exchange net shot and LD is waiting there just to kill the shuttle. For example at recent WC 2013, LCW actually just have to guide the ball to empty position and hit it since LD could not do much about it, LCW however just hit the ball down straight, unfortunately LD was standing there since they exchange net shot initially. At the end, LD just flick the ball and LCW could not retrieve it back, since LCW already knew that his shot is winning, LD caught LCW by surprise.
     
  10. insaint84

    insaint84 Regular Member

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    The only weakness LCW have, I would say is his mental , (only against Lin Dan). In terms of skill, I would rate both at the same level. From the last few encounter between lee - lin was exceptionally close, too bad there has to be a winner in the deciding set. I would say that lcw was abit unlucky when it came near the end of the deciding set. What Lin dan has edge is his extra anticipation against Lcw, maybe due to lcw overly expose by participating all the tourneys. CL the rising dragon is good , but i still think that he is still not at lcw's level although he beat him in the last few encounters. This is my personal view :)
     
  11. latecomer

    latecomer Regular Member

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    It is very difficult for people new to badminton to understand why a certain shot is played by top professionals especially they mainly watch the matches on TV. The speed, height and depth of the shuttle are not the same when watching in person. Too early for any new player talking about tactic, play more, learn more, go to live game more. Pay more attention to badminton fundamentals rather than talking about some fancy topic.
     
  12. dominikk1985

    dominikk1985 Regular Member

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    yes it certainly helps LD that LCW played a ton of tournaments and LD watched him at home to beat him in the big championships (chinese sports federation only cares about olympic and WC medals and doesn't care about pro tournaments). in that regard LD probably had an unfair advantage (you could say it was LCWs own decision to play that much but in malaysia he had to do that for a living and not have the support of a huge sports federation). so the reading of LCWs game does help him. however even against CL I feel that LCW is inferior at the net. he can make good shots at times but is not as crisp and fine as CL (and LD of course).
     
  13. llpjlau

    llpjlau Regular Member

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    If you're referring to the Denmark Open that concluded a couple of days ago, then IMO, it is not a fair representation of LCW's game. It was quite apparent that he was not in 100% physical condition. This could be fatigue or a slight tweak to an area of his body. He was not moving as freely.

    Having said that, I also think that LCW's greatest weakness is his mental strength. He seems to crawl back in his shell when he faces LD. I don't think LCW's technique is inferior to LD's. LD just has that air of superiority, an aura that just instils fear in opponents. This aura coupled with his clean, smooth technique makes him one of the best, if not the best, that has ever played the game.

    Nevertheless, LD is not perfect. Once you can break him early in-game, he tends to make more errors than normal.
     
  14. Licin

    Licin Regular Member

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    Yes, that was really true. The specific treatment for an athlete are varied from one country to another. China and Malaysia treatment to athletes are of course different. Not to mention Lining and Yonex contractual terms and obligations for LD and LCW respectively. LCW mentioned couple of times that unlike LD, he is obliged to play at certain events and during a calendar year that was an hectic schedule. No to mention that he suffers injury during All England 2012 so as to prepare himself for OG2012 which i heard from somebody that LCW admits that he did it so to escape from other tournaments and really prepare for OG 2012.CMIIW.

    It is true that LD could watch LCW and study LCW movements at home and finding way how to beat him, however, at this current competition at MS, no player will be as close to LCW so as to exploit him and enable LD to study LCW development and current condition beside CL, DPY, & WZM probably. In a way, LD also taking advantage of his fellow compatriots in this regards. In my opinion, beside having the upper hand of stronger Mental compared to LCW, LD also have the luxury to study LCW movements. Of course somebody might argue that CL, DPY & WZM could also exploit LD and enable LCW to study LD, however since LD is very seldom taking part in tournaments except for big events, i doubt it.
     

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