The Crucible Countdown !!!!

Bingham, Carter, Maguire, Higgins, Trump, Wenbo, Ding and Robertson all in the same section.

whoever gets through that deserves to be in the final.

That Murphy and Ants match will be a belter.

Dotty is hardly in great form , robbo has got the best section there , only from quarters will it toughen up.

Officially, I'm seeing;;

Bingham vs Carter (both sessions)
Higgins vs Day (opening session)
Walden vs Robbie Williams (opening session)
Mags vs Angles (second session)
Mark Williams vs Dott (second session)

Was hoping the better qualifiers would be in the bottom half but of course they weren't going to be

Kyren is in top 3 qualifiers and hes there

I can easily see Day send Higgins packing first round. He's playing good enough atm to do it.

GJ wrote:Kyren is in top 3 qualifiers and hes there

Dott, Liang, Ding, Carter all top half. Bottom half is absolutely crap

Ebdon v Fu... wouldn't surprise me if The Force beat him.

And what about Milkins v Selby... tough opening match for Mark who hasnt played the last two tournaments. Could we see another Robbo v Milkins similar first round result?

andre

lets not go there

So quarters predictions im going

Carter v Walden

Robbo v Ding

Ronnie v Murphy

Wilson v Selby

Another Carter v O'Sullivan final would not surprise me

Alex0paul wrote:Another Carter v O'Sullivan final would not surprise me

good

GJ wrote:andre

lets not go there

So quarters predictions im going

Carter v Walden

Robbo v Ding

Ronnie v Murphy

Wilson v Selby

I'm going...

Bingham v Day

Ding v Robbo

Ronnie v Murphy

Selby v Allen

Another image from the draw...

I know this might go against the grain of the forum but I don't see anything all that great in Kyren Wilson. I know he won his first ranking tournament but overall I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

In China Open he lost 5-1 to Rod Lawlor in last 32, 4-1 to Ryan Day in Player's Championship in last 32, 4-1 to Perry in last 16 of Welsh Open and 6-1 to Tom Ford in last 32 of UK Championships.

I know there's sign of an ok player but I don't think he's the potential to be any better than Ali Carter. Just my opinion and I know we all see it different.

The top half of that draw is absolutely in immense. The bottom half isn't too shabby by normal standards but made look so by the top half. Selby's quarter is by far the weakest though. My quarter predictions are:

Carter v Day
Trump v Robertson
Murphy v O'Sullivan
Allen v Selby

then semis Carter v Roberttson and O'Sullivan v Selby - with a Robertson v O'Sullivan final - which I'm pretty sure is a wet dream come true for a lot of us.

White v Baird is really exciting me. Got 10-9 written all over it

Stand out match is Murphy vs McGill, for me.

I'm seeing Alan McManus, or at least one session of him.

I think the only other time I've seen him live was in 2006. He played Stephen Hendry at The Masters. He won, and I was there.

Pedro147 wrote:I know this might go against the grain of the forum but I don't see anything all that great in Kyren Wilson. I know he won his first ranking tournament but overall I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

In China Open he lost 5-1 to Rod Lawlor in last 32, 4-1 to Ryan Day in Player's Championship in last 32, 4-1 to Perry in last 16 of Welsh Open and 6-1 to Tom Ford in last 32 of UK Championships.

I know there's sign of an ok player but I don't think he's the potential to be any better than Ali Carter. Just my opinion and I know we all see it different.

Hopefully Kyren will be better than fodder Ali Carter, who still somehow has managed to win 3 ranking event titles.

I can see where you're getting at, but Kyren is much more talented than him. Talent alone is nothing, so yeah he needs to fulfill that.

Andre147 wrote:

Pedro147 wrote:I know this might go against the grain of the forum but I don't see anything all that great in Kyren Wilson. I know he won his first ranking tournament but overall I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

In China Open he lost 5-1 to Rod Lawlor in last 32, 4-1 to Ryan Day in Player's Championship in last 32, 4-1 to Perry in last 16 of Welsh Open and 6-1 to Tom Ford in last 32 of UK Championships.

I know there's sign of an ok player but I don't think he's the potential to be any better than Ali Carter. Just my opinion and I know we all see it different.

Hopefully Kyren will be better than fodder Ali Carter, who still somehow has managed to win 3 ranking event titles.

I can see where you're getting at, but Kyren is much more talented than him. Talent alone is nothing, so yeah he needs to fulfill that.

And two world finals.

I think White and Baird been fortunate to draw each other, if whites on his game it will be an ok match to ease himself in to the tournament. I don't think Baird's going to get annihilated this time.

Hawkins v Zhang least interesting match for me.

I can see Dott - Williams getting very scrappy.

Gilbert could test Ronnie yes, especially at the beggining of the match, but I can see Ronnie running away with it once his game starts flowing.

Probably a 10-5 result there.

Pedro says what I said earlier. Kyren is very good, talented player, but a bit overrated in this forum, IMO.

Of course with that draw has every chance to go through, unlike if he had to face Ronnie, Robbo, Selby (I would give him a 10% to beat any of them), but Perry is still the favourite to win their match.

My two cents.

Anyone calling Carter fodder is silly. He's a very talented player just hasn't always lived up to it. I still think he could win a world title.

snookerlover wrote:Anyone calling Carter fodder is silly. He's a very talented player just hasn't always lived up to it. I still think he could win a world title.

If he doesn't face Ronnie along the way, yes.

Andre147 wrote:

snookerlover wrote:Anyone calling Carter fodder is silly. He's a very talented player just hasn't always lived up to it. I still think he could win a world title.

If he doesn't face Ronnie along the way, yes.

Oh dear the fan-boys are out. For that to happen this year he'd most likely have to face the player who knocked Ronnie out or the player who knocked the player who knocked Ronnie out in the final, it stands to reason that his world championship would be just as good against that player as it would be if it had been Ronnie. You have to be better than another player to beat them, so if he does play anyone but Ronnie in the final (should he make it that far, and it's a massive should) it's as equal and achievement as if he'd played Ronnie.

Who will be favourite out of Bingham and Carter? I fancy Carter to win. But a great match to start with, pretty much 50:50.