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Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Casey

This year has seen little in terms of shock winners – apart from Stuart Bingham in Australia at the start of the season we have seen the cream of the crop consistently contest for the main tournaments this year.
As a result it has came to shock me and many others the number of seeds struggling at this year’s World Championships, with many already eliminated and others close to that point as the week continues.

I would suggest only Neil Robertson of the top seeds has produced anything like the type of form expected. Of course round 1 is only about winning the match, so for Higgins, Ronnie, Magure etc they have time to up their game – others like Allen, Lee, Dott, Gould and Bingham don’t have that luxury. With Selby, Ding and Trump not sailing it, what has bucked the trend from the last couple of seasons?

Is it a result of the top players playing too much snooker? Were they over confident? Did previous good from make them over confident?

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby nice_shoes_ken

The standard is higher this year and that's only good for Snooker.

While some players like Gould and Bingham were expected to struggle. Dott has had a poor season, and the last two days have shown.

While players like Higginson and Jones have shown their high quality, which only makes the standard higher.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby SnookerFan

Just goes to show it's true what they say about the quality of all players these days, I guess.

Also, the top-16 are playing a lot more than in previous seasons, but so is everybody else. This keeps everybody sharp.
Last edited by SnookerFan on 25 Apr 2012, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Wildey

Casey wrote:
Is it a result of the top players playing too much snooker? Were they over confident? Did previous good from make them over confident?


no skullman hit the nail on the head on tourno thread.

they been complacement because they have played so well during the season they think over 19frames they bound to beet these qualifiers.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Monique

Wild wrote:
Casey wrote:
Is it a result of the top players playing too much snooker? Were they over confident? Did previous good from make them over confident?


no skullman hit the nail on the head on tourno thread.

they been complacement because they have played so well during the season they think over 19frames they bound to beet these qualifiers.


I don't think that's it.
There is a mix of factors. One of them - important one IMO - is that with the qualifiying rounds only a week before the tournament, the qualifiers who have come through are really on form and come there warm with a few matches under their belts. The seeds are cold and under a lot of pressure because of the amount of ranking points at stake. Only Mark Allen's case is one of complacency, I'd say, as he somehow admitted himself in his postmatch.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby SnookerFan

Monique wrote:I don't think that's it.
There is a mix of factors. One of them - important one IMO - is that with the qualifiying rounds only a week before the tournament, the qualifiers who have come through are really on form and come there warm with a few matches under their belts. The seeds are cold and under a lot of pressure because of the amount of ranking points at stake. Only Mark Allen's case is one of complacency, I'd say, as he somehow admitted himself in his postmatch.


Mark Allen wasn't complacent, don't you know anything?

Mark Allen lost, because all the Chinese players parakeet. :grrr:

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Roland

It's bizarre, I thought with the rolling rankings we'd get less shocks but I guess that's what the Crucible does for you. There's so much pressure on the seeds and the best of 19s are the sprint round where anything can happen.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Wildey

Monique wrote:
Wild wrote:
Casey wrote:
Is it a result of the top players playing too much snooker? Were they over confident? Did previous good from make them over confident?


no skullman hit the nail on the head on tourno thread.

they been complacement because they have played so well during the season they think over 19frames they bound to beet these qualifiers.


I don't think that's it.
There is a mix of factors. One of them - important one IMO - is that with the qualifiying rounds only a week before the tournament, the qualifiers who have come through are really on form and come there warm with a few matches under their belts. The seeds are cold and under a lot of pressure because of the amount of ranking points at stake. Only Mark Allen's case is one of complacency, I'd say, as he somehow admitted himself in his postmatch.

that should not be a factor how the hell can players go in to the World Championship this Year COLD theres so much Snooker beeing played however i do get the Pressure thing theres so much snooker being played if you lose in one theres another coming around soon BUT Theres Only one World Championship and the Pressure of wanting to top off a good and Busy season with success here is intense.

whitch in turn makes Robbos Performance even more impressive.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Casey

I think Monique has a point about the qualifiers playing last week and still in good form from that. As for the quality of the qualifiers, yea its strong but no stronger than other years.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Wildey

Casey wrote:I think Monique has a point about the qualifiers playing last week and still in good form from that. As for the quality of the qualifiers, yea its strong but no stronger than other years.

no thats no point at all the qualifiers was not played at the crucible on different tables in different envioronment

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby freakmoomin

I think its just one of those freak weeks.......its happened before and im sure it will happen again. Its nothing new for guys like Dott , Lee, bingham, gould to have a shocker of a game....it just so happens that they all had shockers in the same round!

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:I think it's because the qualifiers were only played last week

no how the hell is that relevent ???

its not as if the qualifiers has played amazing stuff the seeds were unprepared and under pressure these are the Top snooker players under a rolling ranking system seriously they should be able to cope with it.

i think people are looking for WHY ? reason is simple best player on the day won.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Casey

Now Ding as well, what was the toughest quarter of the draw has been blown wide open, especially is Selby goes out as well.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Skullman

Wild wrote:
Casey wrote:
Is it a result of the top players playing too much snooker? Were they over confident? Did previous good from make them over confident?


no skullman hit the nail on the head on tourno thread.

they been complacement because they have played so well during the season they think over 19frames they bound to beet these qualifiers.


For the record I did say that, but mentioned other factors like the qualifiers being so close and the seeds being in cold. It's probably a mix of factors and different for each seed. I think Allen and Murphy were a bit complacent, Gould was struggling due to pressure of being a seed, Dott just had a bad two days and Bingham was just not good enough.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Skullman

Casey wrote:Now Ding as well, what was the toughest quarter of the draw has been blown wide open, especially is Selby goes out as well.


Who would've predicted Stevens to be the only seed in that quarter? rofl

Realistic chance of there being a qualifier in the semi from that quarter assuming Selby loses. If not, hopefully an easy draw for him.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby freakmoomin

wow.....now ding!

Its a worry for the tournament to be honest, because in the later stages the seeds will defo up their game and one or two of them might have a walk in the park to the title. Something im guessing nobody wouldnt want.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby NedB-H

Why would the top 16 be any more complacent than in any other year??


I think the closeness of the qualifiers is the main thing, the qualifiers may not all have played brilliantly but except Perry all the ones who have gone through have at least played pretty well. Normally there's at least 4 or 5 seeds who go through because they come up against qualifiers who play hopelessly, and there's hardly been any of that this year.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Casey wrote:Now Ding as well, what was the toughest quarter of the draw has been blown wide open, especially is Selby goes out as well.


If Selby goes out, Robbo - Ronnie will be the premature semi final of that half.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Casey

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Casey wrote:Now Ding as well, what was the toughest quarter of the draw has been blown wide open, especially is Selby goes out as well.


If Selby goes out, Robbo - Ronnie will be the premature semi final of that half.


Yep. Judd's in the other half, yea?

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Casey wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Casey wrote:Now Ding as well, what was the toughest quarter of the draw has been blown wide open, especially is Selby goes out as well.


If Selby goes out, Robbo - Ronnie will be the premature semi final of that half.


Yep. Judd's in the other half, yea?


The top half looks like Maguire vs Trump at the moment

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby NedB-H

Sonny wrote:Robbo and Ronnie are in the same quarter

Think he was saying that their QF, would be a premature SF, cos the winner of that one would definitely win the SF too. Took me a while to work out!

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Snooker Overdrive

NedB-H wrote:
Sonny wrote:Robbo and Ronnie are in the same quarter

Think he was saying that their QF, would be a premature SF, cos the winner of that one would definitely win the SF too. Took me a while to work out!


<ok>

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Casey

As things stand I think it will be -

Robbo/Ronnie v Trump/Maguire

A few months back I never thought Maguire would get near the final but it's how it is.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Skullman

Casey wrote:As things stand I think it will be -

Robbo/Ronnie v Trump/Maguire

A few months back I never thought Maguire would get near the final but it's how it is.


Really? I thought he had a good chance, especially if Higgins didn't suddenly find his form.

Re: Why are the seeds struggling?

Postby Alex0paul

The more seeds that go out the more pressure there is on the other seeded players not to lose. Also there will be added pressure of the draw opening up giving them a great chance of winning the event.


   

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