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Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

V.V wrote:Finland, Turku


Finland, nice country <ok> You obviously must like Robin Hull then, best player from there, unfortunately health issues prevented him from really progressing in his career but he's comeback now and he's a good player.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Pedro147

Personally think Allen's cue action will let him down in crunch matches. He doesn't have a flowing cue action and under pressure it seems to be his undoing. He's behind Ding, Robbo, Ronnie and Trump ability wise. In the big comps, there's always someone just that bit better than him.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby V.V

Yes and his from Turku

He did not got choose to be best billiard player of Finland since the title went to wheel chair pool player (who definetly is a great fellow). Maybe they dont consired snooker as a kind of billiard in Finland, which is wrong

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Clara8633

Andre147 wrote:
V.V wrote:sorry, i lost my terms

Big tournaments I meant


May I ask where you from? as I'm also not English


Your English is pretty good though.

Unless it's a typing mistake which everyone does, lol.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby V.V

Pedro147 wrote:Personally think Allen's cue action will let him down in crunch matches. He doesn't have a flowing cue action and under pressure it seems to be his undoing. He's behind Ding, Robbo, Ronnie and Trump ability wise. In the big comps, there's always someone just that bit better than him.


I imagine him as a bulldozer: he gets throught to certain point by just brutal break-building force. There usually are some obstacles which stop the bulldozer, but once the day comes that there are enough power in the bulldozer and it will go throught to WC.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Clara8633 wrote:
Andre147 wrote:
V.V wrote:sorry, i lost my terms

Big tournaments I meant


May I ask where you from? as I'm also not English


Your English is pretty good though.


Yes I know :pal: I have a couple oe family members who are English and I've always felt at ease with foreign languages anyway. And there are quite a few here who aren't English yet their English is pretty damn good, you wouldn't notice it unless they've told you.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

V.V wrote:
Pedro147 wrote:Personally think Allen's cue action will let him down in crunch matches. He doesn't have a flowing cue action and under pressure it seems to be his undoing. He's behind Ding, Robbo, Ronnie and Trump ability wise. In the big comps, there's always someone just that bit better than him.


I imagine him as a bulldozer: he gets throught to certain point by just brutal break-building force. There usually are some obstacles which stop the bulldozer, but once the day comes that there are enough power in the bulldozer and it will go throught to WC.


bulldozer huh <laugh> Allen has everything to be World Champ, and his game is not just about brutal force in breakbuilding, he has a great safety game too and a great temperament, and above all his grit and determination is all there, he never gives up. I think he will be World Champ, I just hope he's not another Matthew Stevens because if someone told you back in 2000 Matthew would never be World Champ you must definately would have laughed at him saying that.

Of course he can still be, but his odds are as good as Jimmy White ones rofl

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Pedro147

V.V wrote:
Pedro147 wrote:Personally think Allen's cue action will let him down in crunch matches. He doesn't have a flowing cue action and under pressure it seems to be his undoing. He's behind Ding, Robbo, Ronnie and Trump ability wise. In the big comps, there's always someone just that bit better than him.


I imagine him as a bulldozer: he gets throught to certain point by just brutal break-building force. There usually are some obstacles which stop the bulldozer, but once the day comes that there are enough power in the bulldozer and it will go throught to WC.


He's lacking a small bit in every department though. Cue action/technique, break building, safety, temperament. In every game something doesn't click as it should. This is why he doesn't win as much as he should. Just my opinion anyway.

It was only when Selby got a more solid cue action did he really improve into a top 4 player, apart from the WC final appearance before that. Allen hasn't developed like he could or should have. As I said just my opinion anyway.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Skullman wrote:And 6-4 it is. Easily the best match so far.

Hope the rest of the tournament carries on like this, been a tad lacklustre quality wise so far.


And it's the only match I missed <doh>

I blame the BBC. It's unacceptable to always put the better matches in the afternoon slot. Hearn has to do something about this.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Skullman

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:And 6-4 it is. Easily the best match so far.

Hope the rest of the tournament carries on like this, been a tad lacklustre quality wise so far.


And it's the only match I missed <doh>

I blame the BBC. It's unacceptable to always put the better matches in the afternoon slot. Hearn has to do something about this.


There's always iPlayer. Really worth a watch.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Pedro147

Skullman wrote:Don't think there's anything wrong with his temperament.


Again in my opinion, he loses focus and interest when behind. Never seems to come from behind for a massive win, especially at the latter stages of comps. Ronnie is one of the greatest ever and when he lost interest in matches even he couldn't win so an even bigger obstacle for someone like Allen who isn't as good as Ronnie (although not many are). It's only when Ronnie has got his head together that he has really become a force.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Pedro147 wrote:
Skullman wrote:Don't think there's anything wrong with his temperament.


Again in my opinion, he loses focus and interest when behind. Never seems to come from behind for a massive win, especially at the latter stages of comps. Ronnie is one of the greatest ever and when he lost interest in matches even he couldn't win so an even bigger obstacle for someone like Allen who isn't as good as Ronnie (although not many are). It's only when Ronnie has got his head together that he has really become a force.


Selby will have a different opinion when you say Allen never seems to come from behind in a win :evilgrin:

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Skullman wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:And 6-4 it is. Easily the best match so far.

Hope the rest of the tournament carries on like this, been a tad lacklustre quality wise so far.


And it's the only match I missed <doh>

I blame the BBC. It's unacceptable to always put the better matches in the afternoon slot. Hearn has to do something about this.


There's always iPlayer. Really worth a watch.


Yeah it's great iPlayer, it's only available in UK but that is no problem for me as there's always a way to get an UK IP adress :evilgrin: :-D

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Pedro147

Andre147 wrote:
Pedro147 wrote:
Skullman wrote:Don't think there's anything wrong with his temperament.


Again in my opinion, he loses focus and interest when behind. Never seems to come from behind for a massive win, especially at the latter stages of comps. Ronnie is one of the greatest ever and when he lost interest in matches even he couldn't win so an even bigger obstacle for someone like Allen who isn't as good as Ronnie (although not many are). It's only when Ronnie has got his head together that he has really become a force.


Selby will have a different opinion when you say Allen never seems to come from behind in a win :evilgrin:


Not that he's never done it but not often enough. He's probably similar level to Bingham in my opinion. There really isn't anyway I could put him ahead of Murphy, Ronnie, Robbo or Ding to win this comp and that's with several seeds knocked out already.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Pedro147 wrote:
Andre147 wrote:
Pedro147 wrote:
Skullman wrote:Don't think there's anything wrong with his temperament.


Again in my opinion, he loses focus and interest when behind. Never seems to come from behind for a massive win, especially at the latter stages of comps. Ronnie is one of the greatest ever and when he lost interest in matches even he couldn't win so an even bigger obstacle for someone like Allen who isn't as good as Ronnie (although not many are). It's only when Ronnie has got his head together that he has really become a force.


Selby will have a different opinion when you say Allen never seems to come from behind in a win :evilgrin:


Not that he's never done it but not often enough. He's probably similar level to Bingham in my opinion. There really isn't anyway I could put him ahead of Murphy, Ronnie, Robbo or Ding to win this comp and that's with several seeds knocked out already.


Right now I would definately put Allen above Ding and Murphy to win this tournament.

For me it's Ronnie 1st, Robbo 2nd and Allen 3rd. Ding has done nothing this season and I reckon Perry will knock him out aswell.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Skullman wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:And 6-4 it is. Easily the best match so far.

Hope the rest of the tournament carries on like this, been a tad lacklustre quality wise so far.


And it's the only match I missed <doh>

I blame the BBC. It's unacceptable to always put the better matches in the afternoon slot. Hearn has to do something about this.


There's always iPlayer. Really worth a watch.


I already skipped through the last couple of frames and looked at the key shots. However it's just not the same as watching it live. These last couple of years I have been very fortunate to have so much spare time in the afternoons but in the coming years that will change. And I don't want to miss out on the best matches just because the BBC can't be fussed to broadcast snooker in the evenings.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:And 6-4 it is. Easily the best match so far.

Hope the rest of the tournament carries on like this, been a tad lacklustre quality wise so far.


And it's the only match I missed <doh>

I blame the BBC. It's unacceptable to always put the better matches in the afternoon slot. Hearn has to do something about this.


There's always iPlayer. Really worth a watch.


I already skipped through the last couple of frames and looked at the key shots. However it's just not the same as watching it live. These last couple of years I have been very fortunate to have so much spare time in the afternoons but in the coming years that will change. And I don't want to miss out on the best matches just because the BBC can't be fussed to broadcast snooker in the evenings.


Key misses from Higgins: Frame 4, missed green when on 50 odd; missed final red when looking like 3-1. And frame 8, Higgins missed a thin red to top left corner.

But Higgins scored very well, could have had 4 tons in that match but those steals from Allen proved decisive.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Andre147 wrote:
V.V wrote:
Pedro147 wrote:Personally think Allen's cue action will let him down in crunch matches. He doesn't have a flowing cue action and under pressure it seems to be his undoing. He's behind Ding, Robbo, Ronnie and Trump ability wise. In the big comps, there's always someone just that bit better than him.


I imagine him as a bulldozer: he gets throught to certain point by just brutal break-building force. There usually are some obstacles which stop the bulldozer, but once the day comes that there are enough power in the bulldozer and it will go throught to WC.


bulldozer huh <laugh> Allen has everything to be World Champ, and his game is not just about brutal force in breakbuilding, he has a great safety game too and a great temperament, and above all his grit and determination is all there, he never gives up. I think he will be World Champ, I just hope he's not another Matthew Stevens because if someone told you back in 2000 Matthew would never be World Champ you must definately would have laughed at him saying that.

Of course he can still be, but his odds are as good as Jimmy White ones rofl


Mark Allen is a very interesting player. I definitely consider him an underachiever so far. He turns 29 next month and has only won two ranking titles. He only has one appearance in a final of a major. Allen has all the talent but he just isn't converting yet.

I think he gets bogged down against slow players way too easily (recent examples: Gerard Green in the 2014 PTC Grand finals and Rod Lawler in the 2014 UK). Also he often can't respond if he plays against a top player who really steps it up (Robbo in the 2014 World Championship).

But he still has time and he's improving all the time although only slowly.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby TheRocket

A pity really that Higgins lost this. I thought, this was really the first time since a long time that he played good/solid stuff and I thought, with this kind of performance he definitely could reach the semis, maybe even the final.

Unfortunately for him, all the mistakes he made were huge ones and he gave Allen excellent chances. The 4th and 8th frame obviously were big ones as Allen won both on the black, the latter one even after getting a snooker.

But that's just one of the things what happens to you when you're in decline. 4-5 years ago (prime) Higgins would be the one winning all the close frames. How many times we saw Higgins making an excellent pressure clearance to win on the black? But that's just gone now.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Andre147 wrote:Key misses from Higgins: Frame 4, missed green when on 50 odd; missed final red when looking like 3-1. And frame 8, Higgins missed a thin red to top left corner.

But Higgins scored very well, could have had 4 tons in that match but those steals from Allen proved decisive.


Higgins was unlucky with his draw this time, wasn't he?

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Andre147 wrote:Key misses from Higgins: Frame 4, missed green when on 50 odd; missed final red when looking like 3-1. And frame 8, Higgins missed a thin red to top left corner.

But Higgins scored very well, could have had 4 tons in that match but those steals from Allen proved decisive.


Higgins was unlucky with his draw this time, wasn't he?


Yes, but mainly because Allen played superbly aswell. Against any other of the Quarter-Finalists, Fu maybe an exception, Higgins would have won against them.

Like TR, I feel a bit sory for him because even though he's definately not one of my favourites I don't like to see a great player like him fall apart like this, same with MJW.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby TheRocket

When it comes to Allen, I think, Skull already said it 20 minutes ago or like that. His biggest problem in my eyes is that his best game isn't as good as Ronnies,Robbos,Selbys,Trumps or Ding. So there's basicially always one player left at least, who will beat him and stop him winning the really big trophies like Trump did in the UK 2011 and Robbo in last years WC.

It was a high quality match between him and Robbo until 7:7, but the difference was that Allen was playing at his best while Robbo still had room for improvement and then he produced his best game and Allen simply didn't have the power to hit back. It was very characteristic.

Mark Allen is a little bit similar to Matthew Stevens. Matthew was a topplayer, capable of beating anyone but you always had the feeling that there is still one player in the tournament, who is still better than him. Nevertheless, we know that Matthew won two majors and that's what Allen surely can do as well. If he keeps playing like this , he even has a good chance here at the Masters.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Yes I also compared him with Stevens a bit earlier. I just hope he doesnt become another Stevens and doesnt win the Worlds, nobody back in 2000 would have thought Matthew would never become World Champ but fact is he didnt win it, and he certainly wont win it now.

Maybe Allen needs to have a kind draw to ever win the Worlds or even UK or Masters, because if he faces too many top players like Ronnie, Robbo or Ding, he's bound to lose at some point, because unlike them he lacks consistency in his game.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby TheRocket

Andre147 wrote:Yes I also compared him with Stevens a bit earlier. I just hope he doesnt become another Stevens and doesnt win the Worlds, nobody back in 2000 would have thought Matthew would never become World Champ but fact is he didnt win it, and he certainly wont win it now.

Maybe Allen needs to have a kind draw to ever win the Worlds or even UK or Masters, because if he faces too many top players like Ronnie, Robbo or Ding, he's bound to lose at some point, because unlike them he lacks consistency in his game.


Hopefully we can say that about Judd and Ding as well. In their case it would be even a bigger shame. I still believe that if Judd had won it in 2011, he would have a lot more trophies under his belt now.

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby V.V

Andre147 wrote:Yes I also compared him with Stevens a bit earlier. I just hope he doesnt become another Stevens and doesnt win the Worlds, nobody back in 2000 would have thought Matthew would never become World Champ but fact is he didnt win it, and he certainly wont win it now.

Maybe Allen needs to have a kind draw to ever win the Worlds or even UK or Masters, because if he faces too many top players like Ronnie, Robbo or Ding, he's bound to lose at some point, because unlike them he lacks consistency in his game.


exactly

the right draw and the bulldozer gets throuht

that is what meant by calling him buldozer

ronnie, robbo and even selby are old men when allen is still in his prime.so only trump and ding left to be won then

Re: Dafabet Masters Round 1 : Mark Allen v John Higgins !

Postby Andre147

Snooker Overdrive wrote:Before the start of the week Ronnie v Allen was my dream final. Let's see if we get it.


No Ronnie v Judd? rofl or even Selby v Ronnie?

Just joking, yes these two havent played for a long time and their only high profile match was at the Worlds 2009 which Allen won.

EDIT: Sory forgot 2011 Masters when Allen won again, despite Ronnie being in the depths of despair in dismal form <laugh>
Last edited by Andre147 on 14 Jan 2015, edited 1 time in total.


   

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