imagine you sitting in the chair of the head coaches of these two nations. and then there is the pending clash of titans on May 10 between China and Indonesia, whom in your team would you choose to field against probably the strongest opponent?
here are the candidates in world ranking order (they must play in the same order) INA: Sony Dwi Kuncoro (9) Taufik Hidayat (17) Simon Santoso (59) Wiempie Mahardi (97) Luluk Handianto / Alven Yulianto (7) Flandi Limpele / Eng Hian (8) Candra Wijaya / Trikus Haryanto (NA) CHN: Lin Dan (1) Chen Hong (2) Bao Chunlai (4) Xia Xuanze (7) Chen Yu (11) Cai Yun / Fu Haifeng (2) Sang Yang / Zheng Bo (6)
here is my analysis. for INA singles. there isn't much choice. Sony and Taufik must be fielded, as for 3rd singles, it doesn't really matter who they put in. likely he will lose to China. so i say pick Simon. now the question is, knowing that's so, how'd CHN line up their guns? Lin Dan will certainly be up to the challenge of Sony. but would they choose to field Bao/ChenH or Xia against Taufik? Bao lost to Taufik in 2003 Sudirman Cup and is highly unreliable in team matches. i would put him aside. so that leaves ChenH and Xia. personally i would pick Xia over ChenH but that also means ChenYu will go against Simon. which is ok i guess. for doubles, CHN has little choice. so how'd INA counter with CHN's line up? interesting that Alven/Luluk is now #1 pairing. Cai/Fu has a good record against Luluk/Alven except for the most recent Korean Open where Luluk/Alven won in 3 close games. Limpele/Hian was very strong last year and all the way till this year, reaching semi finals in their last 4 tournaments. but most interesting is that Sang/Zheng beat them in their last encounter in Korea 15-10 / 15-8 that kinda skews the chances a little bit. perhaps INA will field the mystery pairing of Candra/Trikus?
i tot Xuanze is playing 3rd singles? is it possible for him to play with Taufik? hmm.... don even noe if there is a chance to watch Candra playing or even Xuanze playing.....
yes. here is what i wrote: "personally i would pick Xia over ChenH but that also means ChenYu will go against Simon. which is ok i guess." if Xia plays 2nd, then 3rd must be played by ChenYu.
i don't think indonesia will choose their strongest player when meet china in group round. they did it before in TC 1992, they put ricky soebagja as their single player. they lost 5-0 to china.
yeah. and i think they had Alan Budi Kusuma playing doubles as well... but that was 1992, in that edition, whoever won their group get to play against the strong home team of MAS, which INA successfully avoided and CHN crashed against. however, this time it will be different, as we mentioned in this thread: http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15422 whoever loses the group match will have to face MAS/DEN in the quarter/semi. while the winner of the group only need to play a weakened KOR (minus Ha Tae Kwon). so there is definite a benefit in winning the group match this time around....
i saw wat u wrote.... not like i didn't but i just don understand... if Xuanze is already set to play 3rd singles.... how can he possibly become 2nd single???
no one said Xia MUST BE 3rd singles. the rules says, out of these 5 players and in this order, you can pick 3 to play: Lin Dan (1) Chen Hong (2) Bao Chunlai (4) Xia Xuanze (7) Chen Yu (11) so Xia can be 2nd or 3rd singles.
ok loh.... u cannot blame me for not understanding TC rules.... i've never watch TC before n i not into badminton for very long..... furthermore i always c Xuanze being mentioned in the news as 3rd singles.... so i have to clarify my doubts....... but u sounded so unfriendly...
oh. sorry. not intended to sound unfriendly. but given the rankings, it is unlikely that ChenYu will be field 3rd as he is the least experienced. thus media was leaning to have Xia as 3rd singles. however, Taufik in this case may be INA's trump card having to face ChenH or BaoC whom are both not very reliable players. perhaps CHN may move the players around...
but no choice right? Chen Hong n Bao CHunlai is ranked higher than Xuanze.... if Xuanze play 2nd means both of them need not play at all Chen Yu vs Simon....errr.... Simon quite new n inexperience also.... perhaps can take the risk?? Taufik is getting more consistent... Chen Hong n BAo Chunlai still fluctuate... so have to c their form on tat day.... quite risky
technically, if Xia plays 2nd Bao/ChenH can still play 1st. that may be a suicide as that means Lin won't get to play.
nah.... definately Lin Dan is playing.... he plays very well against players from other country.... n he has experience in playing with them before... tat may be his advantage.... he noe them better n can play with more confidence Lin Dan Jia You.......... *echo*
Take it easy Hong Hong people aren't being unfriendly, Loh's probably one of the nicest guys (netwise, I haven't met him in person) here. If it was from someone like me (any I don't write something like I'm not being offensive) then I'd be being unfriendly. Anyway Chen Hong vs Taufik would be suicide since he's 0-5 against him. Bao is a better bet at 2-2 and Xia is 2-3. So statistically I'd go: - Lin - Bao - Xia Basically if Bao plays two and Lin one, then Chen Hong can't play. Then against I'm not sure if I'd want to play someone I'm 0-5 down to in a team event when everyone is depending on you. Chinese doubles pick themselves, as does INA singles, INA doubles too hard to tell with a really dangerous stratch pair.
tat's kwun not loh..... hahaha.... anyway i'm this frank n straight forward.... i say wat i think n feel.... if i've offended anyone.... sorry
It's so funny to see that so far only Kwun and HongHong are discussing the proceedings with no input from others. I'd help HongHong - she'd select Lin Dan as 1st singles, Xia as 2nd and Chen Yu 3rd, regardless of who INA fields! INA (Hadinata Wannabe) Jokes aside, I'd say INA is definitely going to try their super best to get the first point in doubles as I would rate Alven/Luluk to have equal chance of beating Cai/Fu and do not forget, they are playing at home. If they can capture the first point in MD, then the next will see an almost certain 1 point from Taufik. Taufik is invincible at home, but yet, the mighty would fall one day but I doubt this edition of TC will be the day. Fielding Chen Hong against him will not be wise, I'd say Xia may stand a better chance as he has a more varied gameplan than Chen Hong's. Let's say Taufik beats Xia, thus the second double of Sang/Zheng would be in deep pressure to tie the score in which they must beat whichever second doubles fielded. Being such a crucial tie, I'd say INA would call upon Flande/Eng Hian's experience to play in order to neutralize the youthful but at times reckless gameplan of their CHN counterparts. Again, I stress - Flande/Eng Hian are playing at home; Sang/Zheng are young guns with no prior experience in high pressure crucial team ties (except maybe Sudirman, did they?), so I'd say Flande/Eng would come out good. Thus it ends. Still, it depends I would say on whether Alven/Luluk scores the point against Cai/Fu. That I'd say would be the key. CHN (Li Junior) Lin Dan is the best bet for the first singles. I'd expect him to be at whomever INA fields and that should be Sony. I would rate the game to be about 51:49 and yet, do not forget - Sony is no pushover and is playing at home. Lin Dan should have the edge in a very close tie. Sony is in good form although he lost to Taufik in ABC but I'd go for Lin Dan in this. 1st Doubles, I doubt there's any other choice in this but Cai/Fu and I believe this will be another crucial tie where the chances are even. I don't think I want to talk about playing at home again... Taufik. Gameplan will be Xia. I won't put Chen Hong against him in Indonesia as he lost there to him last year, thus I'd put Xia in. Chances? Difficult. Taufik is Mr Indonesia in badminton. It's a dilemma, whether to risk Chen Hong now, hoping that Sang/Zheng wins it or Xia now, hoping that Sang/Zheng still win it or risk it on Chen Yu for the decider. Sang/Zheng will have to keep their nerves for one of the most crucial tie of the series. They got speed, they got power but have they got the nerves and the brains to deal with it? Flande/Eng Hian are highly experienced compared to them and could employ different tactics and with the help of... yes... morale support from the home crowd, it is... I hope they don't start to cuss and swear... If Sang/Zheng goes through, then I'd put Chen Yu against Simon or Wiempie for a very, very decisive final match. I'd expect INA to field Simon against Chen Yu and this is where the match, I believe would be the most evenly contested. Final score : INA 3 - 2 CHN
The real fight, will be in the doubles. In singles, it's more or less a point a piece already. And if it ends squre in the doubles, then it will be all down to the 3rd singles. Perhaps, Chen Hong will be sacrificed just so that Xia can deliver a certain point in the 3rd singles?
50 50 I Thinx it'll be good game as if they met at Final because don't wanna vs malaysia at quarter. But Indon Say at utusan.. they not fear m'sian player.. very easy to bit! so if they play with their best player.. i think 2 single go to china and they wanna catch one double from indon and indon... they cought 2 double and one single.. and the single.. ?.. i guess Taufik... Between Cheng Hong?.. i think Xia better... xia not in ranking cos injured 4 long time.. but.. i guess. if china took Bao, Lin dan and Xia.. its mean the game will cought our eyes! exspecially single.. if i... i still thingking.. until right now!.. i'm jammed
Thanks Pecheur for your compliments. Maybe HongHong can change her Singlish 'loh' to 'lah' or 'lor' to avoid confusion. HongHong, can u do tat lor....u noe tat loh is me wat... so u no hav to offend ani1 leh ...(Wah, very difficult to write Singlish!)
