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Who is the better match player?

Neil Robertson
3
15%
Mark Selby
9
45%
Graeme Dott
5
25%
Other (please specify)
3
15%
 
Total votes : 20

Best Match Player?

Postby Skullman

Self explanatory. Two best match players of their generation. Which one is better?

For the matchplay hatahs, read it as which one is more boring.

Edit: How could I forget Dott? Also added option of others. By their generation I mean players that joined the tour in the late 90s.
Last edited by Skullman on 19 Feb 2012, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Better Match Player Robbo or Selby?

Postby Witz78

Skullman wrote:Self explanatory. Two best match players of their generation. Which one is better?

For the matchplay hatahs, read it as which one is more boring.


rubbish

as much as i hate him Higgins is by far the best matchplayer of the generation. Even GJ wouldnt argue with that

Re: Better Match Player Robbo or Selby?

Postby Skullman

Witz78 wrote:
Skullman wrote:Self explanatory. Two best match players of their generation. Which one is better?

For the matchplay hatahs, read it as which one is more boring.


rubbish

as much as i hate him Higgins is by far the best matchplayer of the generation. Even GJ wouldnt argue with that


Higgins is the generation before. I agree he outclasses them.

Re: Better Match Player Robbo or Selby?

Postby Witz78

no in this era Higgins is a matchplayer

he wasnt in his original incarnation

Ebdon was the best matchplayer of that generation

Jono seems to have copied Higgins in changing his tactics

Re: Better Match Player Robbo or Selby?

Postby Skullman

Witz78 wrote:no in this era Higgins is a matchplayer

he wasnt in his original incarnation

Ebdon was the best matchplayer of that generation

Jono seems to have copied Higgins in changing his tactics


I never said that Higgins is the best matchplayer of his generation. I'm just saying that Higgins's generation was before Selby and Robbo, and therefore he isn't considered in this poll. If you can come up with any alternatives from Selby and Robbo's generation, I will gladly add them to the poll.

Re: Better Match Player Robbo or Selby?

Postby Skullman

Witz78 wrote:would you class Dott as the same generation?

i would, on the basis that his career success has been during Robbo and Selbys era


<doh> How could I forget Dott? I think I might redo the poll. Anyone else I should add before I change it?

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Skullman

Redid the poll. If anyone still cares, they can revote.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Roland

Higgins is the best. Selby, Robbo and Dott are the next best.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Roland

Some other great matchplayers:

Ray Reardon
Steve Davis
Cliff Thorburn
Ken Doherty
John Parrott
Peter Ebdon

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Skullman

Sonny wrote:Some other great matchplayers:

Ray Reardon
Steve Davis
Cliff Thorburn
Ken Doherty
John Parrott
Peter Ebdon


Agree but the original premise of the poll was who was the best matchplayer of Robbo and Selby's generation. Which has to be Dott, can't believe I forgot him <doh>

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Odrl

I've never quite understood the term "best match player"... Isn't it exactly the same as "best player"?

Surely a player's practice potential is of little interest to anyone. Or are we suppose to look at it in relative terms? Say, who's game is least dependent on technical brilliance, or something like that?

The way I see it, Robertson has been the best match player of these three, although Selby is a couple of years younger and could potentially catch up with him. As for other players of this generation, I think Murphy is also ahead of Selby as things stand at the moment.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Witz78

the term matchplayer IMO refers to whoever is the worst player to achieve the most

ie. they make up for their lack of true talent compared to others by playing tactics that gain success.

a bit like the boring boring Arsenal of the late 80s and early 90s who seemed to grind out a 1-0 win every week

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby sundaygirl

I voted for Dott who has been a great match player for as long as I have been aware of him.
But I would give Robertson the award for "most improved" in this department. I think that when Neil had his first breakthrough success he was self conscious and wanted to be seen to play attractive snooker now he has matured he has the confience to play a tougher style of game if needed.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Witz78

sundaygirl wrote:I voted for Dott who has been a great match player for as long as I have been aware of him.
But I would give Robertson the award for "most improved" in this department. I think that when Neil had his first breakthrough success he was self conscious and wanted to be seen to play attractive snooker now he has matured he has the confience to play a tougher style of game if needed.



i just hope Judd never sells out to the purists <ok>

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Wildey

Odrl wrote:I've never quite understood the term "best match player"... Isn't it exactly the same as "best player"?


no because Hendry would blow matchplayers out of the water when he was on song the same with Ronnie.

no matter how good your safety is when you got players like that playing it dilutes it.

but players has to understand their limitations thats where matchplay comes in to it to give them a chance. trying to out pot hendry at his best was pointless.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Odrl

Wild wrote:no because Hendry would blow matchplayers out of the water when he was on song the same with Ronnie.

no matter how good your safety is when you got players like that playing it dilutes it.

but players has to understand their limitations thats where matchplay comes in to it to give them a chance. trying to out pot hendry at his best was pointless.


Well yes, that was kind of my point. If you take the term "match player" literally, it would be Hendry anyway, wouldn't it? ;-)

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby mediter

Well, there are different elements like break-building, defensive safety-game, attacking safety game, long-potting, shot choices between safety and break-building, cue action, mental approaches, physical condition and so on . But the way I think what is a good match player, is what players can produce when it going gets really tough, i.e deciding frames. Excellent example was Welsh Open match between Steve Davis vs Ali Carter, where Steve made deciding frame century with many most spectacular positional shots !! In the 90´s Stephen Hendry made 147 decider against O´Sullivan. Steve Davis is a one hell of a match player and so are John Higgins and Mark Selby the way I see this issue. I definetely voted Mark Selby since he has a well earned reputation being a deciding frame specialist.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby sundaygirl

Being a good match player is not always always about being a grinder/ safety specialist. In my opinion what made Hendry agood match player was his quick start he nearly always won the first frame (still does) and was able to maintain concentration to clear the table. Keeping your opponent in his chair is good match play. Winning this way is also good tournament play. How often do we see the winner of a great match fade away in the following round.

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby jojo

of their generation i would say robertson

of the last twenty years i would say higgins

of all time i would say davis even though higgins a better potter

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Witz78

jojo wrote:of their generation i would say robertson

of the last twenty years i would say higgins

of all time i would say davis even though higgins a better potter


<doh>

what you giving that @#&%$£ any credit for <doh> <doh>

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Skullman

Witz78 wrote:
jojo wrote:of their generation i would say robertson

of the last twenty years i would say higgins

of all time i would say davis even though higgins a better potter


<doh>

what you giving that @#&%$£ any credit for <doh> <doh>


:no: Now, now Witz, this irrational Davis hating has to stop. He was a good player in his day. Why can't you be as nice to him as Wild is?

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Witz78

Skullman wrote:
Witz78 wrote:
jojo wrote:of their generation i would say robertson

of the last twenty years i would say higgins

of all time i would say davis even though higgins a better potter


<doh>

what you giving that @#&%$£ any credit for <doh> <doh>


:no: Now, now Witz, this irrational Davis hating has to stop. He was a good player in his day. Why can't you be as nice to him as Wild is?


haha Davis is the only one of that trio id give any credit too :-D

Re: Best Match Player?

Postby Skullman

Muppet147 wrote:Higgins is probably the best match player of this generation and the last. He is still a runt of course.


I agree that he's a better match player, but he's from the older generation.