2014 World Championship - Discussion

[scottley]

The turned down blue was even easier with the perfect angle to open the red and green, instead he rolled up to the brown

I doubt even Ronnie would have took that on.

[Rocket147]

Did Selby not pot the required balls when it was asked of him?! Did Ronnie capitalise when Selby made a mistake?! I think there's a lot of hares comments aimed at Selby.

[attilahun]

No, hardly. He's a prolific break builder. But, the amount of times he potted a ball and run out of position was unreal.

Because he made sure he will, by playing hard enough to end up the baulk. I can understand a few times but he almost never played with the pace required to land on a colour...and when he did he refused the shot....

[Giggity1984]

Because he made sure he will, by playing hard enough to end up the baulk. I can understand a few times but he almost never played with the pace required to land on a colour...and when he did he refused the shot....

Hmmmmmmm.... Maybe, but I'm not wholly convinced. I understand what you're saying, he didn't hold for the black knowing he would be leaving reds on if he missed. But, how many opponents in the past few years have played such a game against ROS and won? Yet alone in a world final?

[vmax4steve]

I saw the match. I have plenty of honour and quite a bit of self esteem. Selby was no coward. Look at the break in the final frame for proof. You're just plain wrong.

Giggyty mate, it isn't the fact that Selby plays defensive snooker, that's all well and good if that's what you believe will bring you success.
It's the incredible amount of time he takes over what everyone knows he's going to do. If he simply rolled up behind a baulk colour immediately rather than walk around the table four times and pointing his cue at the group of reds from all angles for three minutes before the roll up then it wouldn't be gamesmanship but simple defensive snooker.

The fact that he makes such a song and dance over almost every iffy decision makes it unsporting gamesmanship designed purely to annoy and create discourse in his opponents mind so that he plays poorly.

[Masterdoctorgenius]

Ronnie had a car crash. His son was also there. Both shaken but not hurt.
When ****s gets going ....

[dino]

Ronnie had a car crash. His son was also there. Both shaken but not hurt.
When ****s gets going ....

He was tired and he might have fallen asleep behind the wheel...Happened to me a week ago, my toddler, a 4 month old baby, my wife and our au-pair were in the car...I was 1 millisecond from crashing...terrible feeling!!!

[P.Smith]

Ronnie had a car crash. His son was also there. Both shaken but not hurt.
When ****s gets going ....

Apparently it was near Leicester. Ronnie obviously saw the sign to Leicester and started having flashbacks to the final. He lost his concentration and the car spun out of control.

I'm allowed to joke about it now we know they're ok.

[Giggity1984]

Giggyty mate, it isn't the fact that Selby plays defensive snooker, that's all well and good if that's what you believe will bring you success.
It's the incredible amount of time he takes over what everyone knows he's going to do. If he simply rolled up behind a baulk colour immediately rather than walk around the table four times and pointing his cue at the group of reds from all angles for three minutes before the roll up then it wouldn't be gamesmanship but simple defensive snooker.

The fact that he makes such a song and dance over almost every iffy decision makes it unsporting gamesmanship designed purely to annoy and create discourse in his opponents mind so that he plays poorly.

Ok, I see where you're coming from. I'm going to rewatch a few frames with this in mind. I still can't shake the fact that he was unlucky quite a few times when trying to construct a big break.

[itsnoteasy]

Ok, I see where you're coming from. I'm going to rewatch a few frames with this in mind. I still can't shake the fact that he was unlucky quite a few times when trying to construct a big break.

Potting a ball and running out of position, isn't unlucky, it's poor play, keeping position is an absolute must not just for pros but for everyone, we all know fantastic single ball potters but they will never improve until they get a hold of that cue ball, but for a pro to constantly do it, it's unforgivable.

[WelshPhantom]

Selby potted some good long pots, but made sure they were to nothing, and played the roll up snooker so many times, played the roll up into the pack so many times, walked around the table looking at balls he could and couldn't pot from every angle so many times. Ronnie called him out on this during The Masters and it was seen as very controversial, but as Ronnie said at the time, people think he's being mentally strong when he's doing that, but they have no idea of what's really going on out there.

Both Robertson and Selby were doing it to each other in their semi, and that match was an even bigger drag than the final. Lucky for them that Ronnie's semi finished a session early and they could continue their morning session into the afternoon, otherwise they would have been still playing at 3.00am on sunday morning.

There is nothing mentally strong about deliberately taking too long to do something simply to p1ss off the bloke you're playing, it's actually very cowardly, and Selby didn't play at all well until he knew that he had gotten to Ronnie and had him playing without focus and disinterested.

People say that it's Selby's natural game, BOLLOCKS !! but hey ! if he also does it when he's practising I'll take it all back.

Here Here '

[Masterdoctorgenius]

So both higgins and ronnie bottled matches against selby this season after having a commanding lead. Something in common. Would have loved a selby and higgins quarter this year.

[gem]

Why does no-one give Ronnie a hard time when he wins frames in minutes, making it look so easy which unsettles opponents and doesn't allow them to settle. Surely this isn't fair either?

[ayrshire_top]

Why not? Surely each player can play at his own pace(within reason, some are extremely slow!!). If Ronnies talent makes the game look easy, so be it.... Are you saying he should he try to make it look more difficult???

[gem]

Why not? Surely each player can play at his own pace(within reason, some are extremely slow!!). If Ronnies talent makes the game look easy, so be it.... Are you saying he should he try to make it look more difficult???

I was being sarcastic.
He does the opposite to Selby with similar results on the opponents. Each to their own.