World Championship (Thurs 3rd of May) S Final Disscusion !

kostasmad wrote:I disagree Sonny.

Why it has to do with his opponents? Why has to do with the stage of his career?

Based on form, Lee should have been in the semis, based on Career Stage as you say, Trump or Ding should have gotten the title at their home by now. You just play the game and you just have to be much or slightly better than your opponents.

If Ronnie does a Selby/Day/Fu/Murphy/Higgins as we saw them this year (0,00001% chance), it would mean that Matthew does not deserve to be on the final?

His 2nd session against Hawkins when he was 5-3 behind (3 centuries and 2 80+) was the best I saw anyone play (after Ronnie of course). He deserves his semi spot..

Well obviously you're a Stevens fan and he is a very naturally talented player and good to watch when he's playing well. I'm not taking anything away from him, you can only beat what's in front of you but from the section containing Selby/Allen/Ding and also to a lesser extent Cao Yupeng, he's not had to play any of them. Fu was absolutely dire, I think that's univerally agreed. In the last session against Hawkins, Matthew was missing quite a lot of pressure pots and it's only because Hawkins was doing the same he managed to scrape over the line. Then obviously Day arguably should've been 6-2 up after the first session and lost the second 8-0 when it transpires he was suffering from a migraine. None of these are Matthew Stevens fault, he potted the balls when they mattered and finished the job off. Fact remains though he's yet to be tested. In PTC7 he played brilliantly to beat Ben Harrison and others, then in the final against Ronnie he was back to the old habits of missing sitters because of the pressure. I can't see any other result apart from a comfortable win by O'Sullivan. If I'm wrong then I'll be genuinely happy for him, he's a really nice bloke and a very talented player but he is by far and away the weakest player left in the World Championships right now and he is a shadow of the player he was 10 years ago and he has serious Crucible battle scars, glimpses of which could be seen in the final session against Hawkins.

Excellent post Sonny, Could not have put it better myself. I too would be happy for him if he did it but I honestly cant see it.

Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Matthew Stevens:

He should be Ronnie's easiest opponent in this tournament. I can't see Stevens beat Ronnie in a potentially close match and he won't run away with it. So I don't think he has a chance. Things could even get embarrassing for Matthew should he play like he did against Day. He won a session 8-0 with a highest break of 59 and I wouldn't be surprised if he would lose a session 0-8 against Ronnie if he only has a highest break of 59.

Before this tournament started I said that Ding would be the "easiest" opponent available for Ronnie but now somehow Stevens got there and that's a very welcome surprise for Ronnie, I'm sure.

No disrespect Matthew but you're not in the same league with a Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Snooker Overdrive wrote:Matthew Stevens's Crucible performances the last 5 years:

2008: first round defeat 10-5 to Higgins
2009: qualifing defeat 10-5 to Gould
2010: qualifing defeat 10-9 to Campbell
2011: first round defeat 10-9 to Allen
2012: SEMI FINAL

Yeah but he hasnt done a lot to get there. He wouldnt have beat selby, so its a shame selby didnt get through. He wont repeat these events ever again unless he has another easy draw.

You can only beat who is put in front of you. Was not Stevens fault that Day had a migraine. I wish him well as I like him but I can't see him beating Ronnie.

Stevens chances are less than slim. I would give him a 5%.

I agree totaly with what you wrote Sonny in your 2nd post. Yes he could have have had a worse draw. However, in all his 3 matches he was the favourite and won them all. He did what was expected from him given his talent and his experience. Whether or not he would have beat Selby is purelly subjective. They way Selby played, I may have beat them in a best of 9s.

I think he will lose around 17-9 or 17-10 and that would be the only WC semi final in his career that has lost by a big margin...

Would love to see Stevens do it, but just can't think of any rational way of how unless when O'Sullivan has a bad session he serverely punishes it.

I wrote yesterday that Ronnie's performance against Robertson was the best I have ever seen from him. Of course he played superb snooker before and in big matches but I have ever seen him do it in an such a close and important match like the one against Robertson. This was probably like he played when he was younger but now he got an terrific safety game also. So this could be the best Ronnie O'Sullivan there ever was.

Stephen Maguire - Ali Carter:

The Scot certainly starts as the favourite in this match but Maguire wasn't tested at all yet because he had to beat no seeded players so far. Brecel and Hendry beat themselves and Perry was also pretty dire.

Carter on the other hand proved himself against Trump but he looked shaky against Jones yesterday.

I hope we will see a close and interesting match.

Snooker Overdrive wrote:Stephen Maguire - Ali Carter:

The Scot certainly starts as the favourite in this match but Maguire wasn't tested at all yet because he had to beat no seeded players so far. Brecel and Hendry beat themselves and Perry was also pretty dire.

Carter on the other hand proved himself against Trump but he looked shaky against Jones yesterday.

I hope we will see a close and interesting match.

Yeah me too

Snooker Overdrive wrote:Stephen Maguire - Ali Carter:

The Scot certainly starts as the favourite in this match but Maguire wasn't tested at all yet because he had to beat no seeded players so far. Brecel and Hendry beat themselves and Perry was also pretty dire.

Carter on the other hand proved himself against Trump but he looked shaky against Jones yesterday.

I hope we will see a close and interesting match.

I hope Maguire thrashes Carter, who showed himself to be a whining little lovely lady after the Trump game.

One table setup

LET THE SEMIS BEGIN

Alex0paul wrote:One table setup

HENDRY on the commentary box

6-2 Maguire

Bizarre to think Carter could be a runner up but drop out of the top 16

Alex0paul wrote:One table setup

Yes now it's the best venue in the world.

Shaun Murphy is there watching

Snooker Overdrive wrote:

Alex0paul wrote:One table setup

Yes now it's the best venue in the world.

Williams would wish he was on that one table setup

But someone who says the venue is sh** doesnt deserve to be there

SnookerFan wrote:

Witz78 wrote:Simplefan

why arent you returning my calls?

He has made numerous posts to you, all of which you have apparently ignored. Also, you shunned him at the Crucible.

Stephen Hendry: "Maguire wasn't put under pressure yet in this tournament"

Maybe he should add: "Especially not in the last round because his opponent played absolutely pathetic."

Alex0paul wrote:Shaun Murphy is there watching

He knows that he will probably not get there in the next couple of years as a player, so he went as a spectator.

Day 13 photo album is here http://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss7/ ... 012/Day13/

and good luck to Leo Scullion and Brendan Moore both reffing their first World Championship semi final

A very tense match so far.

Very scrappy first frame. Hope the standard improves considerably.

This is a rubbish start so far.

Dannyboy wrote:This is a rubbish start so far.

yeah

the standard will improve i reckon

A Trump - Maguire semi-final would have been far better in terms of quality and excitement.

Muppet147 wrote:A Trump - Maguire semi-final would have been far better in terms of quality and excitement.

Trump isn't in it. Get over it