World Championship 2009 - SF discussion!

[spike]

offcourse he can't win this, but he can provide an afternoon session for us tomorrow

Yeah we dont want Higgins to have it too easy by having a day off!

[abextra]

Yeah we dont want Higgins to have it too easy by having a day off!

We don't want us to have it too easy either by having an afternoon off!

[ADR147]

He can stil win this!


If higgins falls over and breaks his face

he could break both arms and his face and still be even money to win from here!

[abextra]

Very well played this evening, Mark Allen, 6-2!
And no day off tomorrow.

[Mal]

Yes, it'll be great to watch - he'll only win the session 6-2, not 8-0 as that will still keep it spectacular tomorrow afternoon from 15-9 down just like Doherty in 2003!

Sorry to quote my own post - but first part of the objective achieved. If he gets the second part I'll be dancing on the street!

[moglet]

Have they got the boys on a new baize today? What I mean is have they changed the cloth again?

Mmmm, very poor conditions this evening, slow cloth and other things I must not mention. Whoever you support, these table variations are not worthy of the professional game.

[The Boss]

I think it will be 17-11

[Goldspark]

This is the problem with such long matches. They can go really flat if one player gets way ahead and is just stumbling towards an inevitable victory, while all the other player can really hope for is to make the score respectable.

[LarrahRobertson]

Larrah ... you should accept him as he is... not perfect. It's probably the biggest match of his carreer so far, he didn't get the run of the balls neither. Actually I find his recovery under pressure remarkable. Whatever happens he has done well and the way he shows his emotions and reacts around the table is great aswell. Snooker needs characters like Neil, people who are a bit "different"...

Monique, not just that I accept Neil, I LOVE and ADORE him. I worship him and I consider him as the best player that has come out, ever really, because I think that a good player is not someone who can do some good cue work, but also someone who has a shining personality as Neil has. I always enjoy watching him, he always makes me laugh, I love him because he is always happy, smiled and positive no matter what. He can admit loss and admit that his opponent was, simply, better. He is always fair, he is a real sportsman, even if sometimes that makes it harder for him.

So, I am disappointed, yes. I didn't expect this result. I thought, "He's on fire, he's gonna win this easy" and watching him having problems just crushed me. I'm feeling it's the same thing as it's with Roger Federer, I only hope.. there won't be any reason to cry... as I had with Rog. (not only one I have to admit.)

[JiangYu]

Can someone answer me quickly on the match why John Higgins is slipping slightly? Is it because:

1. He is closer to the finishing line and so it's natural that he's slipping
2. Mark Allen is playing really well
3. John Higgins isn't bothered and slipping because he was up such a huge margin
4. There have been really close matches with Allen winning most of them
5. None of the above
6. Answer can be applicable to all of 1-4

Sorry guys, I've been busy doing some revision notes but I was just wondering why the match deficit is getting smaller and smaller.

[Mal]

Can someone answer me quickly on the match why John Higgins is slipping slightly? Is it because:

1. He is closer to the finishing line and so it's natural that he's slipping
2. Mark Allen is playing really well
3. John Higgins isn't bothered and slipping because he was up such a huge margin
4. There have been really close matches with Allen winning most of them
5. None of the above
6. Answer can be applicable to all of 1-4

Sorry guys, I've been busy doing some revision notes but I was just wondering why the match deficit is getting smaller and smaller.

I would suggest Mark has improved a little as the pressure is off him now - nothing to lose. Point 3 is also applicable and despite my aforementioned optimism, I think John Higgins will step up a gear when required to see it out. Allen's only hope is to play brilliant all the way through from now and hope John still misses.

[Matt_2745]

I think it's natural that with such a big advantage, subconsciously a player in Higgins must think that the job is pretty much done now and might not be quite as up for it as he should be. Added to that the fact that Mark hasn't stopped trying and hasn't given up and he's allowed him back into it slightly.

I'd not expect John to be overly concerned though and I'd expect him to come out and finish off the job by the mid-session tomorrow...

[Mal]

Mark just has to take each frame as it comes - Get to double figures first thing, then get to the MSI - ideally 15-13, but realistically win 3 of the first 4 to be 16-12 behind and the score is respectable. Come out after the MSI and 4 down with 5 to play has been done before. And just win frame by frame!!!

[Matt_2745]

I think it was quite important for Allen to play well tonight actually. Had he been hammered 17-3 or something he might have come out of the tournament in such a negative frame of mind, despite having actually had a great tournament. As it is he has at least made the scoreline respectable, shown what he can do and though he will be disappointed to lose, at least take some positives from the match.

[Mal]

Yes, I quite agree - he does seem quite strong mentally, but a bad hammering can affect a player. David Gray had a couple - notably the '04 UK final and in WC twice and he never seemed to recover and slipped down a slippery slope which was never arrested.