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Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Andre147

Let's be honest folks...

how can a player over 40 not be in decline?

Of course he is, but unlike 95% of all players, his decline is very slow and is good enough to keep winning tournaments and put amazing performances like this English Open 2017.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby vodkadiet

O'Sullivan has never been in serious decline. Incrementally he is decline. After all, the aging process affects everyone, otherwise no one would ever die.

O'Sullivan never plays really badly and that has been his strength. He occasionally plays at a very high level that few can achieve, but his real strength is his consistency.

The weakness O'Sullivan has is when he is under pressure, and that is the same for every player.

O'Sullivan is in incremental decline. That is the answer to your question.
Last edited by vodkadiet on 22 Oct 2017, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Snooker Overdrive

I think John Higgins' decline process is also very interesting. A couple of years ago he couldn't get near finals anymore and even was in danger of not qualifying for the Masters, nowadays he's right back on track with even making the World final and pushing Selby.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby SnookerFan

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I think John Higgins' decline process is also very interesting. A couple of years ago he couldn't get near finals anymore and even was in danger of not qualifying for the Masters, nowadays he's right back on track with even making the World final and pushing Selby.


Ronnie 2018 World Champion. You heard it here first.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby vodkadiet

SnookerFan wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:I think John Higgins' decline process is also very interesting. A couple of years ago he couldn't get near finals anymore and even was in danger of not qualifying for the Masters, nowadays he's right back on track with even making the World final and pushing Selby.


Ronnie 2018 World Champion. You heard it here first.


Unlikely.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Ronnie79

vodkadiet wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:I think John Higgins' decline process is also very interesting. A couple of years ago he couldn't get near finals anymore and even was in danger of not qualifying for the Masters, nowadays he's right back on track with even making the World final and pushing Selby.


Ronnie 2018 World Champion. You heard it here first.


Unlikely.


Why ? He has as good a chance as any of the top players

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby SnookerFan

Ronnie79 wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:I think John Higgins' decline process is also very interesting. A couple of years ago he couldn't get near finals anymore and even was in danger of not qualifying for the Masters, nowadays he's right back on track with even making the World final and pushing Selby.


Ronnie 2018 World Champion. You heard it here first.


Unlikely.


Why ? He has as good a chance as any of the top players


He'll get knocked out by Michael Holt.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Pink Ball

vodkadiet wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:I think John Higgins' decline process is also very interesting. A couple of years ago he couldn't get near finals anymore and even was in danger of not qualifying for the Masters, nowadays he's right back on track with even making the World final and pushing Selby.

Consistency is him main issue nowadays, but I don't see any compelling reason to dismiss him.
Ronnie 2018 World Champion. You heard it here first.


Unlikely.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby vodkadiet

The Crucible is a whole different ball game from playing mainly mediocre players in short formats with no pressure

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Pink Ball

vodkadiet wrote:The Crucible is a whole different ball game from playing mainly mediocre players in short formats with no pressure

There still aren't many players better than O'Sullivan though, to be honest. Who's ahead of him? Selby? Ding? Trump? Even at that, Selby's the only one of them I'd struggle to see him beating over the long distance. Then again Selby could be stopped by someone who could in turn be stopped by Sullivan.

Sullivan is still probably better at handling the pressure you're talking about than the vast majority of the tour.

Don't get me wrong, he isn't my pick. But he's definitely top five.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby vodkadiet

Yes, he is easily top 5. The problem for him is he has far too much expectation on him.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Dan-cat

Too early to say, depends on his form. He has peaked too early before... remember his form in the the Welsh open two years ago, like he was playing in practice, but by the time the Crucible came about he was middling at best

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Cloud Strife

Ronnie's decline will be complete once he wins his 8th world title, surpassing Hendry's record. After that I can see him having a career renaissance.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Andy Spark

I will add that Steve Davis was well into his decline phase when he made three total clearances in four frames in a major event, a remarkable snooker event at the time.

My point is that during the early and middle part of the "decline phase" of a great player their best is almost as good as it ever was. Their worst, on the other hand, is much worse. O'Sullivan's worst still seems quite good, for me that is the ominous sign for the people that don't care for him.

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby Badsnookerplayer

'All warfare is based on deception' - The Art of War, Sun Tzu

I believe that Ronnie is aware of his decline in consistency over the last year or two. It has been his ability to deceive us into believing that he does not care that has proved so effective in providing a smokescreen. He has used this tactic to great effect over many years but now he has one last chance to enjoy a final golden period.

His recent win in the English Open was majestic, as he conducted the orchestra around him to a climatic crescendo of epic proportions in a final where he played near faultless snooker. It would be a fitting finale to a lustrous career if he could top it all by really going for the four Home Nations events. Take the million,stick it to the man and walk away with a legacy that will never be matched.

Lets see it Ronnie as the embers begin to fade; lets see a fierce last stand of all you have been!

Re: Is Ronnie's decline complete?

Postby SnookerFan

Badsnookerplayer wrote:Sorry SF - I thought he would not like it. I will amend the post.


I just think it's a bit of a myth that Hearn would be upset if Ronnie won all four.

Yes, he'd have to hand over the million. But Hearn loves publicity. He got off on the fact that everybody was talking about the Ranking Shootout being the worst decision ever made in snooker history, because they were talking about snooker. In his mind, that's good.

If Ronnie, his most popular star, won the million the second season it was available, he'd be well happy. He'd be straight on Twitter bragging that this proved the #onforamillion thing was a good idea. Safe in the knowledge it's unlikely to happen again. But also safe that he can gloat over people who said it was unlikely in the first place.

Ronnie winning the million would be like a dream come true for Hearn. Hardly 'sticking it to the man'.


Ps. No need to apologise. <laugh>