Matt Stevens V Shaun Murphy

[Blondie]

Hi,

...........and nice to see Matt get through to the quarter finals facing Shaun Murphy.

And as Matt is currently ranked at 24, really needs to beat Murph to get back in top 16. Hope he can do it, what do you think?

And I don't think they've played each other either since the 2005 final [18-16], so great to see them battle it out.

It was interesting also to read Matt's comments after beating Mark Allen [13-9], that he believes that Shaun is one of the favourites this year to win, but that he will give him a tough game, and that he wants to win. [Go Matt, ]

What do you think?

And another great match to look forward to, can't wait.....

[elvaago]

First match ever where I hope Shaun Murphy wins!

Matthew has been dead lucky to come across two Crucible newbies. He cruised past Delaney because Delaney crumbled and he beat Allen because Allen made youthful mistakes. Stevens is not a top 16 player at the moment and I for one will be chearing when he's playing qualifiers next year. Let someone more deserving be seeded for tournaments.

[Wim]

Haha elvaago your bad character now and then surges on. Stevens is playing rather well this WC but his draw was rather easy. And Murphy is favourite to me to win this match.

[Blondie]

First match ever where I hope Shaun Murphy wins!

Matthew has been dead lucky to come across two Crucible newbies. He cruised past Delaney because Delaney crumbled and he beat Allen because Allen made youthful mistakes. Stevens is not a top 16 player at the moment and I for one will be chearing when he's playing qualifiers next year. Let someone more deserving be seeded for tournaments.

Hi Elvaago,

...........interesting comments, and I think Murphy has been playing well, and what makes it more interesting as well for me is that they haven't played each other for a few years, so great to see how they battle it out.

And I fear you maybe right, and Murph will win, but good luck to Matt anyway....

[Blondie]

Haha elvaago your bad character now and then surges on. Stevens is playing rather well this WC but his draw was rather easy. And Murphy is favourite to me to win this match.

Hi Wim,

........I agree, Matt has been playing well, but so has Murph, and I fear Murph maybe favourite too....

[Semih_Sayginer]

should be a good standard match

hope machoo wins. think he will by 2 or 3 frames.

[Blondie]

should be a good standard match

hope machoo wins. think he will by 2 or 3 frames.

Hi Sem,

..........and think I'm doing another Proclaimers vid error here and bear with me, but is Machoo Murph or Matt?

And agree, I also think there will only be a couple of frames in it, can't wait, and should be a great match..

[Semih_Sayginer]

Machoo = Matt

[snookersfun]

should be a good standard match

hope machoo wins. think he will by 2 or 3 frames.

I am with Semih on this one. Would like to see Matthew having some success after a dreary two seasons. Hey, and even his hair looks better this tournament (still way too much grease, but way toned down). But he'll have to dig deep, Murphy's not close to being any of my favourites, but he does play some good snooker.
Looking forward to this one...

[Blondie]

Machoo = Matt

Hi Sem,

.........thought so, but knowing me, as I always put my foot in it, thought I'd check...........

And with all these matches going on, a great couple of days for the snooker world..........

[austrian_girl]

First match ever where I hope Shaun Murphy wins!

Matthew has been dead lucky to come across two Crucible newbies. He cruised past Delaney because Delaney crumbled and he beat Allen because Allen made youthful mistakes. Stevens is not a top 16 player at the moment and I for one will be chearing when he's playing qualifiers next year. Let someone more deserving be seeded for tournaments.

Sadly, I have to agree that Matthew (over the season) wasn't a top 16 player. Maybe he really doesn't deserve a top 16 place next season. However, he still has to overcome some strong opponents to earn a top 16 slot. So, should he do that, he probably deserves to be where he would be after all.

His draw wasn't the most difficult. Delaney certainly didn't prove a serious obstacle. But to beat Allen, in my opinion, is not a bad win. Allen beat Doherty and took the pressure of being a debutant well. If Stevens had played to an abyssmal standard, he would have got beat (unlike in the Delaney match one can't help thinking ).

Having said that, I still hope that Matthew wins this match. For one, I want Murphy out of the competition as soon as possible (I am so mean). With every match that he wins, he gets a better chance to lift the title. And the last thing I want is Shaun Murphy - a 2-times world champion. He would level Ronnie's and Mark Williams' achievements at the Worlds and maybe he would then believe that he is as successful and esteemed and "great" as them (Well, he would certainly think that and on paper he might be right and that is just a nightmare thought). Argh, argh, argh! (My apologies to everyone who is sick and tired of reading all that Murphy-bashing over and over again!)

Secondly, I don't want Matthew Stevens to end up a Crucible nearly-man. If there has to be a new world champion this year, I certainly hope that it will be Matthew Stevens. However, I know that Shaun Murphy will be favourite for that match. He is playing well and has become a solid all-round player, not going for any sh*te any more that comes his way (Have I just said something nice about Murphy? Oh dear! Well, he did become a force in the game and is a very tough opponent... Please somebody, stop that voice in my head...).

I'm sorry that I can't come up with any factual reasons why I want Matthew to win but I guess the emotional ones have to suffice.

[Blondie]

Secondly, I don't want Matthew Stevens to end up a Crucible nearly-man. If there has to be a new world champion this year, I certainly hope that it will be Matthew Stevens. However, I know that Shaun Murphy will be favourite for that match. He is playing well and has become a solid all-round player, not going for any sh*te any more that comes his way (Have I just said something nice about Murphy? Oh dear! Well, he did become a force in the game and is a very tough opponent... Please somebody, stop that voice in my head...).

I'm sorry that I can't come up with any factual reasons why I want Matthew to win but I guess the emotional ones have to suffice.

Hi ag,

.......really interesting views, and I agree as well that I wouldn't like Matt to become a 'Crucible nearly-man', and who knows, if the next couple of sessions go well, he could very well be in 'that' final.

Murph is playing well though, a solid opponent, and maybe sometimes we don't always need factual reasons to justify our thoughts/views. , a bit of emotion and passion is always good too. It's the stuff leaders are made out of..

[Miss Walker]

You have expressed my sentiments on the subject SO WELL, austrian girl! Exactly my thinking!

So: go Matthew!

[Blondie]

You have expressed my sentiments on the subject SO WELL, austrian girl! Exactly my thinking!

So: go Matthew!

Hi MissW,

.........agreed, SO WELL, and another "go Matthew" from me as well.... x

[Black_cat]

I'm sorry that I can't come up with any factual reasons why I want Matthew to win but I guess the emotional ones have to suffice.

Same situation here. The heart doth have reasons unknown to very reason. (Sounds a lot better in French.)