2014 World Championship - Discussion

[alabadi]

i think Selby hasn't played at his best. so to be only 3 behind when at one stage he was 5 adrift is testament to his dogged determination and will to win.

he was outstanding against Robinson with something approaching 94% pot success and his safety was second to non. he hasn't found that form yet so considering he should be pleased.

if he can find some of that form from his semi he can win, he's been unlucky in some of the frames, getting bad contacts some canons going wrong and when Ronnie has missed he's found himself with nothing on or snookered.

saying all that i think Ronnie has played well and capitalised on Selby's errors, although he will be glad he's ahead he might feel a bit annoyed its no a bigger gap.

either way i hope it turns out to be a classic and hope that Selby can win his first Championship.

[thelongbomber]

Ronnie's game is complete. He can win 30 minute grinding frames, has the long game and can score heavily. Mark has had so many chances in the frames he lost. Multiple times he ran out of position, or didn't open the balls early enough to score a frame winning break. I don't see that changing tomorrow. If Mark could sort that out in his game, Ronnie would raise his game and still win (just look at the 2 semifinals where he destroyed Henry). Saying that, if Mark continues to grind out frame by frame, it could frustrate Ronnie of old, but not the Ronnie we see now. I think Ronnie knew he would be grinding frames out before the match started and is prepared for it.

Like everyone else, I want the underdog to win, but truthfully Ronnie is the more complete player.

[Billy]

I'd like to see Mark win tomorrow, for no other reason than because of the way people have written him off. But we have to be realistic here. Tomorrow, two things need to happen in order for Mark to lift that trophy; One, he has to play very VERY good snooker. And two, Ronnie has to help him by collapsing.

Can anyone really see both those things happening, because I can't?

[Odrl]

Still not a great standard then, even after the second session. At 8-5 I was thinking this was probably the worst anyone has played to lead in the World final since Dott in 2006, but O'Sullivan made two lovely breaks right after that, so I'll leave him alone. :smile: It's probably fair to say this was the worst anyone has played in a long time to take seven frames off the better player though. :smile:

Selby was 12-4 down when he played Higgins in 2007, but got it back to 14-13 on the second day, so he is definitely not out of this yet. But if O'Sullivan starts the better of the two again... then time will really be running out. It's hard to see Selby not playing better tomorrow, but I think O'Sullivan will as well, and that should probably be enough...

[trains]

If Ronnie's long potting is as good in the 3rd and 4th sessions as it was in the first 2 sessions I'll be really surprised if he isn't lifting his 6th world title,I think long potting problems attributed to his loss to Higgins in the 2011 wc.

[stephenm2682]

Interesting stat, Ronnie has lead 10-7 going into the final day for the last 3 years!

I think the black missed to go 6 clear was huge, I think ronnie was thinking 12-6 and finish the match in the afternoon!!

[stephenm2682]

I wonder if Mark still has nightmares about the masters final too? ;-)

[P.Smith]

practice partners aren't they?

I didn't realise.

[stephenm2682]

Btw are Ronnie and Judd friends or something? I believe Ronnie referred to him as 'Trumpy' during his interview with Stevethat they aired during the mid-session interval. Seems like he wouldn't do that unless they were friends.

practice partners aren't they?

[P.Smith]

Btw are Ronnie and Judd friends or something? I believe Ronnie referred to him as 'Trumpy' during his interview with Stevethat they aired during the mid-session interval. Seems like he wouldn't do that unless they were friends.

[trains]

'Sat Nav' Selby is one of the best at laying snookers and getting out of them,I don't see how that is dull,its the players who aren't that good at snookers like Shaun Murphy who I find dull.

[Table_of_Reds]

I bet O'Sullivan still has nightmares about the Welsh final and that Masters final. Against any other player he wouldn't bat an eyelid about this, but because it's Selby he'll be terrified.

[amsel]

I find Neil a lot more boring than Selby, for some reason. Maybe it's the way Neil moves around the table in slow motion. He has no personality, overcontemplates many safety shots. Selby shows emotion, moves fast. Maybe his playing style is not the most exciting, but I like to watch him play.

[Rocket Man]

I could understand this POV if it wasn't Selby lol. Someone like a Higgins, Robertson, Ding....especially Trump. That would add excitement. And Murphy. But Selby? Last year when he won the UK + Masters, those two tournaments just felt dead. He tortured his way to the title.

That being said it's an amazing talent to have. But he's just so boring. I love close matches with drama in all sports, but I can never stand dull sportsmen.

Anyway, that missed black from ROS really could be a turning point. Won't be able to catch tomorrow's afternoon session sadly, but I'm just praying that ROS can at least level the session. But really I think this is Selby's.

I don't think ROS has played that well all tournament, really. Hawkins + Murphy literally just collapsed - ROS put them in a few stressful situations and they couldn't cope. He was amazing in the final 3 frames vs Perry but before that was average by his standards. I don't think he's played anywhere near as well as he played against Hawkins/Bingham in 2013, or a few of his 2012 matches.

A good start tomorrow is vital.

You're like a broken record with always being down on Ronnie's chances. He's won both sessions so far and got a more than useful 3 frame cushion, this is his all the way.

[jrc750]

I completely agree. I'm the type of person that would be turned off very rapidly if a player would be unsportsmanlike or use unfair tactics (Ebdon in the past comes to mind).

Selby is granite as they say, he is mentally very tough, can keep himself together at the roughest of times during a match, never gives up, never throws the towel in, never drops his head...he just keeps going, toughening it all out untill he gets his chance and than he pounces. It's an awesome skill to have...one that John Higgins in his best days had as well.

Selby imo is the very best matchplayer we have in our game nowadays, Plus he is an absolute gentleman, on and off the table, and always very generous towards his opponents. Some other players could learn a lot from Selby and for example Shaun Murphy in that regard.

Put that all together and you have *the perfect snookerplayer* in my book.

+1 to this, i think he knows how to win