I doubt they will have to "deliberately lose" to Bo/Mo. they have never won against this pairing in a major tournament before. Anyway, this is the olympics, its a once in a lifetime chance to participate and earn a place in history, I'm sure the players are going all out. If team strategy is in place as you say, it is still better for chai/guo to top their group and have a chance of an all china final..
Coincidentally their win/lose record against both cai/fu and lyd/jjs is at exactly 25%. I would choose LYD/JJS, as Bo/Mo have played twice as many games against them than Cai/Fu. So they are more familiar with the korean's game to be able to make tactical play....but the outcome is inevitable..
I think Jung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae I know Fu and Cai has worked just as hard knowing they may retire as a pair after these games... but Jung and Lee has been the more consistent pair this year. Mentally, they have the upper hand and physically they can also play to par with Fu and Cai. If you look at the statistics as well. Jung and Lee also lead. However, Fu and Cai has fared better in bigger occassions such as the World Championships, where they have denied Lee and Jung of victory. But if the Koreans are able to mentally compose themselves and manage the pressure they should be able to overcome them...
Also. Looking at it this way... It would be wise for Jung/Lee to deliberately come #2 in their group match and play Cai/Fu before the Finals? Since Cai/Fu has such a comfortable draw compared to them... would be a scare and a trollercoaster if Jung/Lee said Hi to them in the semi-final. Cai Fu only has to play a few scratch pairs, meet Chai/Guo, which will probs end with a w/o then play the finals... But this is also a risk for Korea, should they lose, they will not only lose the Gold but also the Silver by not even making the Finals. But if they succeed and beat Cai Fu, they will have a relatively easy final and the Gold is pretty much theirs... Depends how they like to work it...
Hoping for All Chinese final in Mens Double Olympic ????? You must be dreaming or either have no bloody clue of how hopeless Chai-Guo and other second rate MD pairs from China are. Having extra pairs in China other than Cai-Fu will not make any difference at all. They just participate to lose to other pairs. Team strategy at the expense of Chai-Guo is compulsory and needed to boost their chance to even contest for the gold medal. To Kwun: BoMo has no choice really. You rather risk losing in the QF against Cai-Fu or meeting JJS/LYD in the semifinal ? At least should BoMo lose, they still stand a chance for a bronze medal play-off. So...it's evident China is gonna set up a safe passage for Cai-Fu to the semfinal PROVIDED they top their group A.
Personally,I say nobody is going to or willing to make way for anybody in this probably once-in-a-lifetime dream of Olympic gold unless circumstances force them to for the sake of the bigger picture. I daresay LYB won't dare to tell his charges even at this stage who he picked to go for gold and the others to play supporting role or sacrificial lambs - the whole team morale will be shattered, with the players openly or silently protesting. At the most, when the time comes and the situation demands it and the players concerned see the picture and so might grudgingly 'obey'. No coach worth his/her salt will treat their charges like servants whose duty is to obey unquestioningly without sparing a thought for their feelings and aspirations as every sportsperson,including the coaches themselves, takes proper pride and has love for their sport whether as a profession or art. Whatever it is,that kind of "sacrifice", match-fixing, is only an exception,not the rule. Simply put yourself in their shoes,if you won't accept it,what makes you think they would without a murmur,are they any lesser being than you are? Supposing,Chai/Guo are in the form of their lives whereas Cai/Fu appear to be struggling, what then? Hypothesis is one thing,actuality another. A wise person will let nature takes its course only intervening when absolutely necessary;otherwise,one mistake and it will be very difficult for others to trust you again.Human affairs are the most complicated and unpredictable. That's how I see it - just my 2-cents if you like.
If you have no choice...of course you prefer the latter. At least you got a shot to get to the gold medal match or worse come to worse you end up winning the bronze by thrashing some noob pair in the play off
Sorry JustinL...If I am LYB, i will still count on Cai-Fu no matter how bad their form is. Chai-Guo will just screw up whether they are on form or not.
That is correct - I had full live benefit of that in 2007 and 2009 World Championship Final, and the 2011 semifinal.
for this MD competition, the key person is all depend on Jung Jae Sung. he a mother of all gusty player on the court, defend like crazy super man and hard smashing till the shaft bended for 30deg. Gold or sliver, his performance is the decider... damn sore losser and sad to see KKK/TBH losing to US pair if my prediction came true.
But from a psychologist's point of view, perhaps it's better to face the chinese? Then you're forcing them into an all-or-nothing match, instead of saying that 'actually, bronze is good enough'.
Going on their recent form I have gone with JJS/LYD... although i could see Cai and Fu beating them. hoping for a dream final and hoping that i get the tickets that my badminton club are selling!
basically 2 pair had the best chance to win gold here. CY/FHF or LYD/JJS. The danes had also a chance to win gold if they didnot choke and play their best. MY prediction: CY/FHF will meet JJS/LYD in final. CY/FHF will edge the Korean pair in very tight 3 sets.