i still thinks that lee chong wei should smash whenever he gets the chance to smash... the problem is : why he dont want to smash..this is the OG08 final and i think he should try his best and fight it all out..
He did try a couple of times to smash, but it all returned well by LD. he might think of change of variation during the midplay -- eg tries stroke & rallies , still to no avail
It might not be the matter of footwork .. He did mentioned that he hopes more juniors to emerge from BAM current set-up to replace him. He is ready to retire anytime
No smash doesn't mean not fighting. Look at LD's smashes. Why did LCW had so much problem with it? It's not because LCW had weak defense. Quite the reverse -- because LCW's defense is too strong. So we see LD moving LCW into a position where smash recovery is difficult. There are so many occassions where LD would normally use a smash but he chose to clear or drop instead... one of those clears (2nd half of game2) even got LCW fumbling to a loose drop that got killed off. LCW's famed cross court jumpsmash worked during the early game but when he is trailing, he need to stay in the game so low percentage shots that drains energy has to be played with caution. If LCW is slower in a rally and tries to force a smash at a fully prepared LD, the return will likely kill LCW. IIRC, there wasn't that many instances where LCW had a clear opportunity to smash. LCW did catch LD in the wrong direction at least 2 times in game1.
Ok, then tell me, how do you suppose LCW can improve himself on mental strength? Personally from my point of view, if he had stepped into the game being fast enough to keep up with Lin Dan and have a smash strong enough to penetrate through Lin Dan, he would have been a lot calmer and played a much better game. Take it this way, you would be more confident in playing against a 10 year old than a 20 year old who trains full time. I am not saying that LCW did not crack to the pressure, but what was the pressure? Was it the audience? Or was it because he couldn't match Lin Dan physically? Look at his comment, he said "I suffered a lot of pressure tonight but I do not want to use it as an excuse for my defeat,". And he said "I have tried my best but Lin Dan played perfectly tonight," said Malaysian sport icon Lee. "I couldn't match his shuttle speed. He was much stronger than me and controlled the whole match." This was where his mental concentration cracked. So as you can see, the root cause that you are trying to find, is in his physical speed and strength. He couldn't match up to Lin Dan in those two areas and because of that, he cracked under the pressure of trying to win despite the large disadvantage of being slower and less powerful. If only LCW was faster and stronger, it would've been a different game.
I think LCW indeed looked a bit less agile from the very start of the match. And then as the match progressed, on the one hand he cracked under LD's pressure, on the other hand LD became more and more "into" the match. LD is the kind of player that will take any chance his opponent gives him. When LCW started to crack, it was all over. We can compare this final to Swiss open final, to me the 1st games are very similar. As to xymeart (sorry if I spell it wrong)'s original intention, how to make LCW mentally stronger, I think there is not much he can do to immediately remedy this. He has to swallow this humiliating defeat just like LD swallowed his WC05 and AG06 defeats. LD was mentally stronger now just because he has experienced more highs and lows than LCW. LCW should not remember only this final. He did very well before the final, Susilo, Sony and LHI are strong opponents and LCW beat them convincingly. So he has already improved, and also don't forget OG silver is his personal best. LCW has chance in WC09, especially if LD plans to get married soon.
I think LCW indeed looked a bit less agile from the very start of the match. And then as the match progressed, on the one hand he cracked under LD's pressure, on the other hand LD became more and more "into" the match. LD is the kind of player that will take any chance his opponent gives him. When LCW started to crack, it was all over. We can compare this final to Swiss open final, to me the 1st games are very similar. As to xymeart (sorry if I spell it wrong)'s original intention, how to make LCW mentally stronger, I think there is not much he can do to immediately remedy this. He has to swallow this humiliating defeat just like LD swallowed his WC05 and AG06 defeats. LD was mentally stronger now just because he has experienced more highs and lows than LCW. LCW should not remember only this final. He did very well before the final, Susilo, Sony and LHI are strong opponents and LCW beat them convincingly. So he has already improved, and also don't forget OG silver is his personal best. LCW has chance in WC09, especially if LD plans to get married soon. Well, CJ and Ah Bao still there in WC09...are you implying after LD got married, his play will diminish like wobbly feet, wimpy shots esp BH, panting and lacking stamina, no time to train hard, etc....
This has no bearing on my opinion stated in earlier post, but it a comment on Mental strength in general. Speed can be improved easily, Technique can be improved slowly, Mental strength can be diverted - but the underlying weakness is not and cannot be remedied. Mental strength and performance under pressure cannot be remedied, just bypassed and hope do not U-turn. Just ask Peter Gade.
There are many factors... PG is not lucky in the sense that after his 3 consecutive bad losses (99WC SF, 00OG SF, 01WC F), he got injured. LD was a bit lucky in the sense that in 06-07 he enjoyed a period of challenge-free time: TH got married, CH planning retirement, LCW suffering LM's leave, and LHI retired. Thus LD has time to make himself more complete.
One loss in the final is not everything. LCW did beat Susilo, Sony and LHI convincingly. I think he is a bit stronger than BCL and CJ. LD has already fulfilled his dreams. So his marriage should not be as simple as ZN's. In other words, it is possible that he indeed put some energy into the planning etc. and thus his training may be affected. Also don't forget LD will have many social activities after OG. LCW should take this chance if he indeed has great ambition. Of course, if LCW choose to retire, there is nothing wrong with that decision.
I get tired from hearing about how gade is unlucky. How come Tine can get injured and come back stronger, but PG cannot? IMO he just couldn't do it. Some people can't, they have deep underlying mental issues that mean so. Ask Chen Hong........
Rudy dials the phone: Rudy: wei...? wei? hello? are you there Chen Hong? Chen Hong : didnt you know it is freaking 3.30 am...?I am still taking my beauty sleep..'! Bang!!bang!! Rudy::crying::crying:
Actually I was rooting for Lin Dan. I just feel disappointed for LCW is all. His 'A' game did not manifest itslelf for a variety of factors. Tactically I admit, LD was superb. He controlled the rhythm and pace and gave his opponent no patterns to exploit. He played a fluid game adapting to his opponnent. Contrastingly, I don't believe the skills gap has widened that much. LCW has the ability to adapt, it's just he wasn't able to do it real time during the match.
do u know that i hit GREAT tee shots on the golf range but i can't repeat any of that when i'm paying the big buck in actual playing golf??? So am i'm as good as tiger wood if i don't have compete and only hit and putt around the club house???
Indeed he was BUT Malaysian shuttlers mental make up are different. Look at our history, do you see any Malaysian shuttler/s still able to compete with the best in their 30s??
To play top level badminton, you need to have the determination and mental strength and this is something MAs shuttlers dont have. Our culture is different from the Danes. We have a subsidy mentality here.
If mental strength cannot be remedied, there's no reason to have a sports psychologist on the team.It's not difficult to change behaviour;just see a psychologist otherwise this profession would have disappeared. As it is,there's a greater demand for psychologists as people get more stressed up. Let me give one example.There's this Argentine tennis player named Gaston Gaudio.Well, he's well known for choking during closing.It was sad because he was the better player.However, he finally won the French Open(2004?) and he gave credit to the sports shrink. The therapy trained him to think differently during the closing stage and that's what made the difference. Well, it's likely PG didn't think he needed one and so had no chance to benefit from the difference. LCW used to be timid and had problem closing out a match where he had a big lead.That hardly (or never) happen nowadays.In fact,it's more the opposite.If the opponent does not have a huge lead, LCW's likely to win. Tell me, how could LCW have won JO07 without mental strength? It 's probably the toughest route to an SS title. HH, RS,CJ, LD,TH. Did LCW win through sheer luck 5 matches in a row? In OG,LD got off to a headstart because he packed in a surprise element:amazing speed. LCW probably thought no one could match him in speed since his natural speed is NO.1.Any top 50 player,with the right preparations, can better his speed but probably for a short while.Speed can be increased by expending a lot of energy but it is risky because if the player cannot win straight, he'll likely lose in the decider.(eg LL losing to Maria} If LCW and Misbun had been aware of how LD humbled PSH with his speed weapon and made preparations for that strategy,LCW would have a better G2 as often is his trademark. Of course, the other reason may be LCW (and fu/cai) were so relieved they achieved their stepping stone target of reaching the final,the adrenalin surge subsided for the final.
unfortunately many fans rate players, especially their heros, on basis of technical skills and rarely include other factors just as important like mental toughness, consistency, stamina, etc... For example, their respective fans would say Taufk is the best player because he got the best mental strength, back hand and netting skills. If only he has the stamina he can beat LD or anybody. Problem is the 'IF part' is the exception they happy to overlook. Mental toughness is also a skill. Same as LCW fans saying he has better skills than LD but mentally weaker. At high level, mental strength is near the top, that is why TH owns more important titles than LCW. LD use to be mentally weak too but not anymore.
