There are a lot of tactics against str builds with short weapons. You can...
...kick with your feet and use the stun
...go back while swinging your 2h (hey... use the length)
...use a long maul
...cav, throwing, archer
...use an axe. Shield will be destroyed in a few hits and 1h blocking is bad cause of stun.
...better timing with your 1h/2h
...whatever
Kicking is hardly something that's reliable for the vast majority of players and missing one usually means death.
Use the length you say? How? You can sneak in a hit now and then if you've got a lot of agi by backpedalling but that's about it.
You have to use a specific weapon to counter it? And long maul counters everything else just as much.
Cav, throwing, archer? Forgot about the shield?
OK, your shield is destroyed. Now you have to actually... gasp.. manual block! And you still have the advantage.
So, "Play better?" Well d'uh. A level 1 peasant can kill a level 31 player if the peasant plays better. Doesn't mean it's balanced.