Interesting preview:
"Today will see snooker fans everywhere self-soiling as it’s showdown time between Ronnie and Robbo. Ron came through against Marco without ever being tested and Robbo steamrollered Ali Carter in as good a match of snooker that you will ever see from anyone.
It remains to be seen whether Robbo can enter the arena today in similar peacock mode, it’s very rare that a player can do this against Ronnie, but surely this has to be Neil’s game plan.
For me, this highlights an old adage used by coaches across the land since the year dot, namely, that you should always play the table and not the player. I disagree with this and Robbo is the prime example of why in the modern game, this theory is dated.
He struts around the table like a cockerel who’s just rogered the best looking chicken in town when he knows he has his opponent beat, watching him live is even more of an eye-opener, even the way he sits, the fact he uses an enormous white beach towel to clean his cue, everything about him screams confidence and is designed to intimidate opponents, more often than not it works.
Ronnie seems to do the same but I don’t think he actually does it intentionally. His mere presence is enough to give him the advantage and I’m sure Robbo knows this and is trying his best to have a similar effect. As well as what happens on the table, the fascinating thing about today’s match is what happens off it. Ronnie has much the better of their tussles in the past, but Robbo goes into this in far better form. What will happen? I’m not sure but I think I may have just snake hissed myself with anticipation."
http://www.snookerbacker.com/2015/01/17 ... mi-finals/