2014 World Championship - Discussion

[attilahun]

Right, that's a pretty common generalization when Selby is concerned... Now, if you will, please give us some examples of Selby turning down reasonable pots when he was in the balls yesterday.

He was talking about all those reds he potted with pace and the cue ball ended in the baulk. Selby always played a safety shot and not tried to pot a lower colour. And if you will say the reason is that the cue ball was in a bad positiin that is only because of Selbys negative play. He attacked the reds but with so much pace because he was afraid to miss and leave a pot. For him it was this tactic...pot the red or not, the white must be safe..no real interest to continue the break ...it was deliberate...that is why i say he played negative snooker and acted like a top64 player who knows he is weaker than his opponent and used altternative methods to win the game rather than rely on his own talent...

[alabadi]

rather than go for some pot's he would take an age walk round the table and play a safety.

I am sure if there was anything he could have gone for which would have given him position for the next shot he would have played it.

like I said most times he made a good pot was unfortunate to have nothing easy to go for, so he had to play safe. in the end he is not going to play some risky pot where his chances of getting it is 50% or less miss it and then let Ronnie in to win the frame.

this is exactly what Judd Trump did against Robinson, he went for outrageous shots which in the end cost him the match, I'm sure looking back at it he would have rather played safe and wait for a better opportunity.

[Odrl]

He did pot some nice long pots but its what followed after that get's under peoples skin, rather than go for some pot's he would take an age walk round the table and play a safety.

Right, that's a pretty common generalization when Selby is concerned... Now, if you will, please give us some examples of Selby turning down reasonable pots when he was in the balls yesterday.

[jw147]

Did anyone notice in the afternoon yesterday, when Dennis Taylor said send in your tweets to us and they will be read out in the interval, that every tweet Steve Davis read out was from a professional snooker play on the main tour and not one tweet was read out from a member of the public, which i thought was wrong and unfair when not one public tweet was read out during the interval.

Noticed that myself, snooker has taken a massive backward step since the 90s and david vine, them days tom dick and harry were all mentioned on tv, the public were more involved, and the sport was exciting, with packed houses watching.

[jw147]

He did pot some nice long pots but its what followed after that get's under peoples skin, rather than go for some pot's he would take an age walk round the table and play a safety. and there was a red over the corner pocket that he played that the pace he played it at the only outcome was to push the red safe and pocket the white, then looked in disgust that the white went down the pocket. imo awful

I agree, there were elementary shots that he took 3-4 minutes over, he just drained the life out of ronnie, its a shame when he went 10-5 up he didnt just put him to bed

[jw147]

Sickening result, im unfortunately a liverpool fan too, so watching them and ronnie blow a great lead, made lasnight as bad a sporting night as the night when jimmy missed that dreaded black back in 94. Damn shame, very sleepless night, but thats sport, just gotta dust youreself down and get on with it.

[luke-h]

so its ok when Ronnie, wins frame after frame, keeping his opponent in his chair for long periods of time. Ronnie has his way of keeping players off the table Selby has his.
they play to their strengths that's snooker, Selby actually tried to play an open game he potted as much as Ronnie in the long pot department and unfortunately things didn't fall right for him, either no colour or snookered. what else would you want him to do, smash the pack open and let Ronnie clear up while he sat in his seat.

He did pot some nice long pots but its what followed after that get's under peoples skin, rather than go for some pot's he would take an age walk round the table and play a safety. and there was a red over the corner pocket that he played that the pace he played it at the only outcome was to push the red safe and pocket the white, then looked in disgust that the white went down the pocket. imo awful

[Mr Snooker]

Did anyone notice in the afternoon yesterday, when Dennis Taylor said send in your tweets to us and they will be read out in the interval, that every tweet Steve Davis read out was from a professional snooker play on the main tour and not one tweet was read out from a member of the public, which i thought was wrong and unfair when not one public tweet was read out during the interval.

[P.Smith]

Lol at this thread. Should be renamed "excuses for Ronnie not winning the WC 2014."

[wake_up_bomb]

I think some people here have tunnel vision. Selbs tried to play an open game.

I lost count of the amount of times he cracked a long red in only to land on nothing. It happened at the start of breaks and mid break. Selby haters should rewatch the match and count em up, cos he was actually potting quite well.

Actually, he potted extremely well. He hardly missed a pressure ball, and never missed in the balls to let Ronnie in.

I can't agree that he played an open game, though, the first session yesterday was little short of excruciating. The evening session was better.

[Potty]

Agreed. The best player on the day won.

Now think about watching that match over and over again without having to stick the occasional fork in your leg in order to stay awake.

Watching Ronnie power through a clearance with fluency and grace =..... Entertainment
Watching Selby chalk his cue 15 times before each shot and tormenting his opponent = BORING, TEDIOUS AND CYNICAL

[alabadi]

Your gaining an advantage as your increasing the amount of time your opponent is "Cold" in the chair thus gaining an advantage.....go play a match where your playing someone of the same standard and your constantly getting the same amount of chances, then go play someone who keep's you off the table keeping you "Cold" also it's very different tactically slowing the game down an the person in the chair can and will let it get to them completely different when your sat in a chair watching a break your mentally preparing for the next frame.

so its ok when Ronnie, wins frame after frame, keeping his opponent in his chair for long periods of time. Ronnie has his way of keeping players off the table Selby has his.
they play to their strengths that's snooker, Selby actually tried to play an open game he potted as much as Ronnie in the long pot department and unfortunately things didn't fall right for him, either no colour or snookered. what else would you want him to do, smash the pack open and let Ronnie clear up while he sat in his seat.

[Dr_Doctor]

I feel Mark's victory is good for the sport mainly because he fought hard to beat White, Carter, Robertson and Ronnie.

If Ronnie had won, it wouldn't have been sweet for me because he didn't really fight to beat Murphy and Hawkins. I would have been worried about the state of snooker if he ran away with his earlier lead while playing average.

[gem]

The best man definitely won. Selby was not going to let Ronnie dictate the match and when he was fresher on the Monday was able to score higher when in.
Great final to watch and shows others that Ronnie still struggles at times when knocked out his comfort zone and put under pressure.

His free flowing action is great when he is ahead but he really struggled at times with easy pots under pressure.
Another good season for Ronnie and he could still get another one or two titles in the next few years.

[the_unrepentant]

Why am I not surprised to come on here this morning and read some idiotic comments about Selby. Snooker is not just about the way Ronnie plays. Yes, he is a genius and i love to watch him, but i love to watch snooker in general and what Selby did yesterday and the tactics he used was the way to win the world championship. If you have that in your locker to beat O'Sullivan, why would he not play that way? It was class and its snooker. If you don't think it 'pretty' then watch something else. I actually thought it was pretty and what happened last night was GOOD for the game. Selby is a deserved winner and I'm pleased for him. Giggity1984 also got it spot on. Selby was potting some amazing balls but not getting the rub of the green so had to lay snookers. And that final clearance....wow.

(By the way, I am a huge fan of Ronnie....I'm a huge fan of the sport)