34 Days of back to back snooker begins today !

weemcd

And another fluff by Ronnie there on an easy red. I dare say this one is over.

Rothko

Really can't see Selby losing it from here.

amens

Rothko wrote: »

Really can't see Selby losing it from here.

Looked that way in the WSC as well so I wouldnt write him off totally.

zuutroy

One thing he is good at these days is battling to the end. I wonder are all of the easy misses that have crept in lately a result of a lack of practice or just the beginning of the eyes starting to go. Long game can still be quite good, which is usually the first thing to go, though.
The nonsense is really getting tiresome now. I would usually be the first to make excuses for the mad stuff, but making literally millions of people wait for the next frame while you hack about is inexcusable.
I still hope he can win another couple of big tournaments before he starts to permanently slip. Almost everyone on tour just rolls over against him, but surely it must grate on him now that his current best game can't beat Selby, Robbo, Trump, and Allen's best game.

Sandor Clegane

amens wrote: »

Looked that way in the WSC as well so I wouldnt write him off totally.

I'd agree, wouldn't write him out of it yet...Ronnie is capable of going up a gear better than anyone.

Big ask though.

amens

zuutroy wrote: »

I still hope he can win another couple of big tournaments before he starts to permanently slip. Almost everyone on tour just rolls over against him, but surely it must grate on him now that his current best game can't beat Selby, Robbo, Trump, and Allen's best game.

You know he could try practicing before matches and not during them. That could do wonders for him. I remember Selby, the notorious practicer, said in an interview years ago that if he didn't play for a few weeks he then couldnt pot a ball.

Chalk McHugh

I expect Selby to wrap it up fairly easily tonight. Just don't fancy Ronnie at all this week. Too much messing about with tips and all the other stuff. Selby hasn't forgotten the pain of his Crucible loss to Ronnie a few months back so he won't be easing off the gas. Usually i'd give Ronnie a decent chance to make a big comeback. Maybe he will but i can't see it.

Holy Diver

How long has Ken been on Eurosport?

Can’t recall if he was with bbc for the uk?

zuutroy

Holy Diver wrote: »

How long has Ken been on Eurosport?

Can’t recall if he was with bbc for the uk?

Was with BBC then but has done a couple with Eurosport lately. He's better on Eurosport then BBC imo.

Holy Diver

zuutroy wrote: »

Was with BBC then but has done a couple with Eurosport lately. He's better on Eurosport then BBC imo.

Aye, the bbc coverage has got a bit old overall.

Joe_ Public

zuutroy wrote: »

One thing he is good at these days is battling to the end. I wonder are all of the easy misses that have crept in lately a result of a lack of practice or just the beginning of the eyes starting to go. Long game can still be quite good, which is usually the first thing to go, though.
The nonsense is really getting tiresome now. I would usually be the first to make excuses for the mad stuff, but making literally millions of people wait for the next frame while you hack about is inexcusable.
I still hope he can win another couple of big tournaments before he starts to permanently slip. Almost everyone on tour just rolls over against him, but surely it must grate on him now that his current best game can't beat Selby, Robbo, Trump, and Allen's best game.

Not too sure about that. Robbo beat him recently but was first time in a long time he did, wouldn't read too much into it, and while Allen has a couple of victories over him, i'd still favour ronnie any day of the week. As for selby, ronnies toughest opponent but ronnie still has clearly superior record. Judd is the one I think has changed things, always had a decent head to head against ronnie from the start, never feared him even when judds game wasn't anywhere near its present level. I think ronnies future depends on himself and his own attitude, few good years left if he wants them. The aura still counts for a lot.

amens

Holy Diver wrote: »

How long has Ken been on Eurosport?

Can’t recall if he was with bbc for the uk?

This is his first tournament I think. They all seem to be freelancing these days.

Joe_ Public

Ronnie did once come back to win a world title after 10 months completely out of the game, said he didn't even pick up a cue to practice during that time. The rules aren't quite the same for him as others, though it does obviously get harder the older you get.

zuutroy

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Not too sure about that. Robbo beat him recently but was first time in a long time he did, wouldn't read too much into it, and while Allen has a couple of victories over him, i'd still favour ronnie any day of the week. As for selby, ronnies toughest opponent but ronnie still has clearly superior record. Judd is the one I think has changed things, always had a decent head to head against ronnie from the start, never feared him even when judds game wasn't anywhere near its present level. I think ronnies future depends on himself and his own attitude, few good years left if he wants them. The aura still counts for a lot.

They're the 4 players that I believe don't fear him, though Robertson may be questionable I agree. I set the mark where he started to go off the boil the night he hit the 1000 centuries. The WC win was a bit of a freak occurrence and he certainly didn't play particularly well after round 1.

Don't know how long Ken's been on the Eurosport channel - it's rare enough to see him on Eurosport. Him and 'Angles' have it sewn up :pac: . The both of them can "double job" and flit between the beeb, and Eurosport.

With Ken though, it's funny that he got the Eurosport gig, as both Jimmy and Fouldsy are standing dishes punditry wise. Alan McManus is usually the 'technical expert' when he's on Eurosport, as well as doing a bit on the main stage. Very good at explaining tactics, and shots etc on the backstage table.

I reckon for some reason or other that McManus couldn't be there, so Ken was only too happy to put his hand up Kinda surplus to requirements imo, but at least he's sloightly more ayrticulate than Jimmy

Have to disagree with the panel.. I think most people want this wrapped up sharpish, and don't care to see it go past the midsession; at least this week with the way Ronnie's been messing about. Really jumped the shark with his antics, even by his own capricious standards.

Joe_ Public

zuutroy wrote: »

They're the 4 players that I believe don't fear him, though Robertson may be questionable I agree. I set the mark where he started to go off the boil the night he hit the 1000 centuries. The WC win was a bit of a freak occurrence and he certainly didn't play particularly well after round 1.

Yeah, I'd agree on that. I think judd has definitely gone past him and selby is a problem due to his style but that's not anything new. I'd be amazed if he wasn't declining though, logically he can't be the same player he was at 40 or 30 or whatever. I think the likes of ronnie and higgins are amazed they're still so competitive, that more judds haven't come along to pass them out. Bit like the men's tennis.

Rothko

It's definitely over now.

eric hoone

Is Ronnie playing the grand prix this week?

Sandor Clegane

No heroics from Ronnie tonight it seems...

amens

Some nice stuff from Selby

Rothko

eric hoone wrote: »

Is Ronnie playing the grand prix this week?

Yeah, I think he's playing in it.

Joe_ Public

eric hoone wrote: »

Is Ronnie playing the grand prix this week?

Likely first round v Ali Carter.

Rothko

Really wish Joe Johnson would shut up about the tip.

Joe_ Public

Seen a few more hang in the jaw than usual this week, so used to seeing most of them drop, it's a shock when they don't.

waynescales1

O’Sullivan 74 up, 75 on the table. If Selby clears from here I’m gonna bite the top off my remote.

zuutroy

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Seen a few more hang in the jaw than usual this week, so used to seeing most of them drop, it's a shock when they don't.

Good point actually. I can think of at least 3 miracle cliff edges

amens

That brown looked too difficult to attempt.

Rothko

amens wrote: »

That brown looked too difficult to attempt.

Yeah, I think it was silly to go for it.

Strumms

O Sullivan needed was it 5 snookers with only the pink and black left ?... played on... if somebody at your club started that... Jesus.

Chalk McHugh

Strumms wrote: »

O Sullivan needed was it 5 snookers with only the pink and black left ?... played on... if somebody at your club started that... Jesus.

Even worse he didn't even attempt a snooker on his first shot on the pink. Just played safe instead. Bonkers.

Chalk McHugh

Selby has missed some shockers this evening. That green was atrocious. He's not at his best at all but cruising to another title.

Chalk McHugh

Balls nice for a maximum.

amens

When mark wins I wonder will Ronnie ask him to play on so he gets the full 17 frames of practice.

Chalk McHugh

The most important tip Ronnie needs is not for his cue its how to beat Selby in finals as this will be his 6th loss out of 9.

Chalk McHugh

Easy for Selby in the end. A ruthless player in a final. Well deserved champion.

Rothko

Well done to Selby. A thoroughly deserving winner.

zuutroy

God Selby is such a prick.

waynescales1

Mark Selby, the Darth Vader of snooker.

melon_collie

zuutroy wrote: »

God Selby is such a prick.

Why is he a prick?

amens

zuutroy wrote: »

God Selby is such a prick.

He's a really nice guy. He just needs the new tip.

zuutroy

melon_collie wrote: »

Why is he a prick?

Torture to watch. 6 minute shots. Passive aggressive digs at Ronnie and Hendry in the interview. Threw the toys out of the pram after Sheffield. Can't stand him.

zuutroy

Grand Prix on Eurosport? Thought that was an itv job.

The Nal

zuutroy wrote: »

Grand Prix on Eurosport? Thought that was an itv job.

ITV have the UK rights yeah. Eurosport showing it outside the UK.

melon_collie

zuutroy wrote: »

Torture to watch. 6 minute shots. Passive aggressive digs at Ronnie and Hendry in the interview. Threw the toys out of the pram after Sheffield. Can't stand him.

You're right about the loss in Sheffield. He let himself down and should have taken the loss on the chin.

He's a great player though. Perhaps doesn't have the natural flair that Ronnie has. But he's worked hard to get where he is and he's solid as a rock. A great tactical player and can pull off amazing shots when required.

Joe_ Public

Selbys AST actually lower than ronnies today curiously enough. If it had gone 4-7, could have been a match but ronnie just didn't show today and selby is right, he didn't even have to play all that well. Can't all be classics, i guess.

Arthur Daley

Imagine if Selby went on to sit on top of the game as was being talked about 3 or 4 years ago. Thank God Judd and Robertson came to the boil and Ronnie dug deep to stick with them.

Spudman_20000

Rothko wrote: »

Really wish Joe Johnson would shut up about the tip.

Really wish Joe would shut up in general. I've heard horse racing commentators who talk less.

Joe_ Public

I remember Steve Davis dominating for a decade without seeming to have too many adverse effects on the games popularity. But maybe we're a little less patient with so much available product these days. But i do believe you need the contrasting styles to add drama and storylines. You need rivalries, edges and villains too.

amens

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I remember Steve Davis dominating for a decade without seeming to have too many adverse effects on the games popularity. But maybe we're a little less patient with so much available product these days. But i do believe you need the contrasting styles to add drama and storylines. You need rivalries, edges and villains too.

You need snookers in snooker and Selby is the king of snookers, laying and escaping from them.