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My Perfect Player

Postby Andre147

So I've decided to create this thread after watching at this year's Masters a wonderful piece by the BBC when they asked some top players who would be their perfect player in certain major categories of the game.

Therefore next to each one you can put the player who you think in his prime is the best in that respective category, and if you want to you can specify the reasons for that choice.

Cue Action -

Break Building -

Long Potting -

Cue Ball Control -

Safety Play -

Temperament -

Cue Power -

Rest Play -

Bottle -

Best Clincher of a Frame -

Laying & Escaping Snookers -

Best Front Runner -

Tactical Astuteness -

Comeback King -

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Wildey

Cue Action -Ronnie O'Sullivan

Break Building -Ronnie O'Sullivan (he can put that white where he wants)

Long Potting -Judd Trump (because of how hard he hits balls with accuracy)

Cue Ball Control -Ronnie O'Sullivan

Safety Play -Steve Davis/John Higgins (cant separate them)

Temperament - Mark Williams ( he looks un flustered under extreme pressure)

Cue Power -Judd Trump

Rest Play - Jimmy White

Bottle - Stephen Hendry (under pressure there's never been a player to respond like him)

Best Clincher of a Frame - Stephen Hendry

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Mark Selby

Best Front Runner -Ronnie O'Sullivan (kiss his bottom basically)

Tactical Astuteness -Steve Davis/John Higgins (cant separate them)

Comeback King -Stephen Hendry 14-8 down against White in a WC Final wins 18-14 and 8-2 down against Hallett in the Masters and Wins 9-8

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Andre147

Cue Action - John Higgins I have always loved his cue action, very smooth, nice pause at the back before delivering the cue, plus I think if I were a top player that's the kind of cue action I think I would feel more confortable with. Murphy's one too is excelent, textbook.

Break Building - Ronnie O'Sullivan I'm sure he'll surpass Hendry as the greatest ever breakbuilder in our game, when he's on top form in his breaks not once he's in trouble given his superb cue ball control and the amount of action and spin he puts on the white.

Long Potting - Neil Robertson I think he's the best longer potter I've ever seen, and not only that he's very consistent in his long potting because for instance when he's not playing well it's often his long potting that gets him out of trouble and sets him up for a frame winning break.

Cue Ball Control - Ronnie O'Sullivan Similar to the reason in the Break Building, he keeps that cue bal on the string. An honorable mention goes to Ding who on top form keeps the cue ball no more than a foot away from the object ball, keeping things simple.

Safety Play - John Higgins He can easily combine great break building with great safety play, and when on top form his safeties are top notch with almost always the cue ball near the baulk cushion. He's very very hard to crack in a safety battle when at his best.

Temperament - John Higgins Again Higgins, I always found throughout his career he never let his head down when things weren't going his way and just kept believing he could win. Honorable mentions also go to Selby and Robertson.

Cue Power - Neil Robertson The guy has an imense cue power, and, as hard as it may seem, when he truly needs to he can even surpass Trump on that category.

Rest Play - Shaun Murphy I can count in one hand the amount of times Murphy misses a ball with a rest, his percentages are always so high he is very good when playing with that auxiliary equipment. Honorable mention goes to Jimmy White who when at his best never looked like missing one with the rest too.

Bottle - Stephen Hendry What more can you say about him, he's proved with the amount of tournaments he's won he had immense bottle and determination under the most intense pressure.

Best Clincher of a Frame - Stephen Hendry Again Hendry, when behind in a frame and under pressure he just thrived in that sort of enviroment and pinched truly important and morale boosting frames.

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Mark Selby He's the best I've ever seen in this category, his knowledge of the angles and cushions is second to none.

Best Front Runner - Ronnie O'Sullivan When in front in a match, it's very hard to catch up with him and often he can easily steamroll past his opponent.

Tactical Astuteness - John Higgins His tactics in a match have always amazed me, ne never plays the wrong shot and waits for the right chance to attack and when to put his opponent under pressure in a difficult shot.

Comeback King - Mark Selby I also could have easily chose Higgins here, but decided to go with Selby because he has done so many of them and never knows when he's beat, always believing until the last ball is potted he can win.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby edwards2000

Cue Action -Ronnie / Stephen Lee

Break Building - Ronnie
Over this length of career to have those kinds of stats and averages is phenomenal. He holds a lot of records and shares most number of Centuries at WC and in Majors with Hendry. He can play both handed and has a brilliant snooker brain.

Long Potting - Williams / Hendry
At their best, they really did rule the roost in this dept.

Cue Ball Control - Ronnie
Ronnie has the cueball on a string. That's why he is the greatest break-builder.

Safety Play - Davis / J. Higgins

Temperament - Davis / J. Higgins

Cue Power - Hmm... how would you rate Jimmy White? I guess Robertson has to be there.

Rest Play - Jimmy White
He was great with the rest. Perhaps he should have played THAT shot with it in 1994?

Bottle - Hendry / J. Higgins / Davis / Ronnie / Williams / Reardon (no particular order).
All great champions have champion bottle.

Best Clincher of a Frame - J. Higgins
Yeah, I reckon this guy was the man you had your house on for a final frame.

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Mcmanus / Selby

Best Front Runner - Ronnie / Hendry
If these two get ahead, it's usually bye bye.

Tactical Astuteness - Davis / Higgins / Selby

Comeback King - Selby
snake hiss off Selby. :irk: He's never out until he is out.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Holden Chinaski

Cue Action - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Break Building - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Long Potting - Stephen Hendry, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump

Cue Ball Control - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Safety Play - Steve Davis, Ray Reardon

Temperament - John Higgins, Stephen Hendry

Cue Power - Jimmy White, Alex Higgins

Rest Play - Jimmy White, Shaun Murphy

Bottle - Stephen Hendry, John Higgins

Best Clincher of a Frame - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Mark Selby

Best Front Runner - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Tactical Astuteness - Steve Davis, John Higgins, Ray Reardon

Comeback King - Mark Selby, Alex Higgins

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby TheRocket

Cue Action - Lee

Break Building - O'Sullivan

Long Potting - Hendry, Robertson , Trump

Cue Ball Control - O'Sullivan

Safety Play - Davis, Higgins, Selby

Temperament - Williams due to his relaxed way of taking the things.

Cue Power - Trump and Robertson very equal with Trump probably being very slightly ahead. The way he screws the white back after potting a long ball is fascinating.

Rest Play - Murphy

Bottle - Davis, Hendry

Best Clincher of a Frame - Hendry, Higgins

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Laying Selby, Escaping O'Sullivan

Best Front Runner - O'Sullivan

Tactical Astuteness - Higgins, Selby

Comeback King - Selby

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby simplysnooker

Cue Action - Rory McLeod

Break Building - Rory McLeod

Long Potting - Rory McLeod

Cue Ball Control - Rory McLeod

Safety Play - Rory McLeod

Temperament - Rory McLeod

Cue Power - Rory McLeod

Rest Play - Rory McLeod

Bottle - Rory McLeod

Best Clincher of a Frame - Rory McLeod

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Rory McLeod

Best Front Runner - Rory McLeod

Tactical Astuteness - Rory McLeod

Comeback King - Rory McLeod

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Gnomy

Cue Action - Shaun Murphy;
He has the smoothest cue action, and every time my potting form begins to drop a little I try to think of his cue action, and somehow that by itself seems to have a major effect.

Break Building - Ronnie O' Sullivan;
Nothing is there that hasn't been said.

Long Potting - Mark Williams;
His single ball potting amazes me.

Cue Ball Control - Ding Junhui;
Unbelievable cue ball control, it seems like he has 10000 spots on the white and as many levels with the pace.

Safety Play - Mark Selby, Ronnie O' Sullivan;
Selby sees stuff on the snooker table which I think a lot of players never see, when he is not able to pot as well as he likes, I think his safety play is a great asset.
And about Ronnie, I think his safety play is the most overlooked feature of his game.

Temperament - Marco Fu, Mark Selby;
You can never know if they are ahead or behind. I wish I could be more like that.

Cue Power - Neil Robertson;
Wow! His cue power is out of this world, and the best part is he makes it looks effortless.

Rest Play - Shaun Murphy;
He never seems to miss with the rest.

Bottle - John Higgins.
That is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Higgins' snooker skills.

Best Clincher of a Frame - John Higgins;
This is the second.

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Laying Snookers - Mark Selby; Some of his snookers especially ones at long distances are out of the world.
Escaping snooker- Ronnie O' Sullivan

Best Front Runner - Ronnie O' Sullivan;
Once he a couple of frames, I think you are almost as good as done.

Tactical Astuteness - John Higgins;

Comeback King - Paul Hunter;
When he was behind he just used to switch to plan B and come back and win the match.
Too bad we can not watch more come backs from this genius.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby NNear

Long potting is overrated when there is no category for just 'Difficult pots'.


Many difficult pots might be short or middle distance too. Who are the best single ball potters ever?


Reardon? Williams? O'Sullivan? Trump? White? Hendry? A.Higgins? Someone else?

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Cannonball

White for me, Trump not far behind.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby RoddickAndy

Cue Action - Hendry/Ding/Robertson, textbook stance/aiming/delivery. O'Sullivan and Murphy also have great cue action but I really think theirs are a bit difficult for beginners to learn.

Break Building - 1 ROS 2 Hendry 3 Ding, which can be seen from their total number of centuries and century frequency (the number of frames it takes for them to make a century).

Long Potting - Currently have to go with Robertson/Trump/Murphy. Previous players like Hendry, MJW, Hunter, Alex HIggins and Jimmy White are all good at long potting in their prime.

Cue Ball Control - ROS and Ding

Safety Play - John Higgins

Temperament - Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson

Cue Power - Judd Trump/Neil Robertson/Stephen Lee

Rest Play - Shaun Murphy and Jimmy White

Bottle - Hendry, Higgins and Selby

Best Clincher of a Frame - Hendry and Higgins

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Steve Davis, Ken Doherty, Alan McManus and Mark Selby

Best Front Runner - ROS for sure

Tactical Astuteness - John Higgins

Comeback King - Mark Selby

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Pink Ball

Pink Ball wrote:
Cue Action - Barry Pinches

Break Building - Mark King

Long Potting - Robin Hull

Safety Play - Liang Wenbo

Temperament - Quentin Hann

Cue Power - Dave Harold

Rest Play - Denis Taylor

Bottle - Matthew Stevens

Best Front Runner - Matthew Stevens

Tactical Astuteness - Liang Wenbo
Last edited by Pink Ball on 13 Sep 2017, edited 2 times in total.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Andre147

Pink Ball wrote:Cue Action - Barry Pinches

Break Building - Mark King

Long Potting - Robin Hull

Safety Play - Liang Wenbo

Temperament - Quentin Hann

Cue Power - Dave Harold

Rest Play - Denis Taylor

Bottle - Matthew Stevens

Best Front Runner - Matthew Stevens

Tactical Astuteness - Liang Wenbo


rofl rofl :clap: rofl rofl

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby vodkadiet

A player who makes big breaks

A player who has a great long game

A player who is attacking

A player who can defend when necessary

A player who has lots of bottle

A player who is just as good from behind as when in front

A player who plays with a smile on his face

A player who can throw a frame or three and still get the job done

A player who sees the shot and plays it without pulling faces

A player who never bemoans his luck

A player who can use the rest as well as when playing without it

A player who can use power and touch equally well

A player who gives straight answers to questions

A player whose Tweets never exceed 140 characters

Would you like to hear anything more about Matt Selt?

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby SnookerFan

Pink Ball wrote:Cue Action - Barry Pinches

Break Building - Mark King

Long Potting - Robin Hull

Safety Play - Liang Wenbo

Temperament - Quentin Hann

Cue Power - Dave Harold

Rest Play - Denis Taylor

Bottle - Matthew Stevens

Best Front Runner - Matthew Stevens

Tactical Astuteness - Liang Wenbo


Image

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby SnookerFan

vodkadiet wrote:
Would you like to hear anything more about Matt Selt?


Is he looking forward to playing in The Crucible final this year? :wave:

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby vodkadiet

SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:
Would you like to hear anything more about Matt Selt?


Is he looking forward to playing in The Crucible final this year? :wave:


Selt regards Portuguese venues as his chosen environs to play good snooker.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Andre147

vodkadiet wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:
Would you like to hear anything more about Matt Selt?


Is he looking forward to playing in The Crucible final this year? :wave:


Selt regards Portuguese venues as his chosen environs to play good snooker.


:D

He has good taste then. He did love Portugal and the Portuguese crowd, said we were very enthusiastic about the Sport. It's not all bullocks coming out from his mouth then.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby vodkadiet

Andre147 wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:
Would you like to hear anything more about Matt Selt?


Is he looking forward to playing in The Crucible final this year? :wave:


Selt regards Portuguese venues as his chosen environs to play good snooker.


:D

He has good taste then. He did love Portugal and the Portuguese crowd, said we were very enthusiastic about the Sport. It's not all bullocks coming out from his mouth then.


I hear many women (and men) in Portugal have a picture of Selt on their bedroom walls!!

:D

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby _Harry_Potter_

Cue Action - Ding Junhui

Break Building - Ronnie O'Sullivan / Stephen Hendry

Long Potting - Judd Trump / Shaun Murphy

Cue Ball Control - Ronnie O'Sullivan / Ding Junhui

Safety Play - Steve Davis

Temperament - Stephen Hendry

Cue Power - Judd Trump / Neil Robertson

Rest Play - John Higgins / Shaun Murphy

Bottle -

Best Clincher of a Frame -

Laying & Escaping Snookers -

Best Front Runner -

Tactical Astuteness -

Comeback King -

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby adysmart3711

Cue Action - Neil Robertson

Break Building - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Long Potting - Mark Williams

Cue Ball Control - Din Junhui

Safety Play - Mark Selby

Temperament - Marco Fu

Cue Power - Judd Trump

Rest Play - Shaun Murphy

Bottle - Stephen Hendry

Best Clincher of a Frame - John Higgins

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Mark Selby

Best Front Runner - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Tactical Astuteness - Mark Selby

Comeback King - John Higins

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Coland

Cue Action - Stephen Lee

Break Building - Selbo

Long Potting - Mark Williams

Cue Ball Control - Ding Junhui

Safety Play - Selbo

Temperament - Selbo

Cue Power - Neil Robertson

Rest Play - Jimmy White

Bottle - Selbo

Best Clincher of a Frame - Selbo

Laying & Escaping Snookers - Selbo

Best Front Runner - John Higgins

Tactical Astuteness - Selbo

Comeback King - Selbo

Overall, Selbo has to be considered the best we've ever seen.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby TheSaviour

I am not going for this, but need to said that in a way I understand the view that this currently is a weak or a very weak era. So I also agree with the posters who have picked some or most their choices from the previous eras and times. So why this would be weak era?? Think about Mark Selby. Yes, a very likely the best we have ever seen, like Roland stated. BUT, he can quite freely run his riot without feeling that much pressure. To lose his top-game. We all know how good and rampant Ronnie O´Sullivan can be, but for a long time he has not been delivered it. No matter how hard he has tried. The point is not how good some player can be and sometimes is, but can he really deliver it? So far Mark has not felt the pressure. One could assume there could be even some kind of a "plot" or an "ally" against him, in order him to lose it. But no... Selby is a machine. Players should understand that. I have understood the views that this a strong era, but I, to be perfectly honest, do think vice versa..

But also the point is that Mark has managed to take all this really well. I actually think we have made a huge favour to Ronnie when giving him a consistent critic. He was in all sorts of troubles when he ruled the game, and couldn´t really take it. Now he is feeling fine. He too still fancies to find it back and rule the game. And then he is planning to handle it much better than he used to.

There is no any single reason why Ronnie lost it (his top game). It is just combination of many things, a completely normal life. If someone can´t think it in a way that Ronnie is not ruling the game anymore. Then there should be some of sort of mental health check. That´s what the statistics (also) do tell you; Ronnie is no-more ruling the game at all.

Me too as hobby player has been advised to go for my shots. Instead of being a very carefull what I usually fancy to do. I can´t live with it when if I know that the shots would be there but I am not using those. That´s the worst pure mental feeling there just possibly can be. But I still fancy to reject the most shots and pots. The guy who advises me to really start to play himself certainly has been going for his shots..... I know it can be all wonderfull to him when he gets it all clicking.

I suppose it just comes down to the feeling and the day.

Stuart Bingham- a radical offshoot of the extreme flair player Ronnie O´Sullivan....

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby Pink Ball

Cue Action - Stephen Lee

Break Building - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Long Potting - Mark Williams or Hendry

Safety Play - John Higgins or Davis

Temperament - John Higgins or Selby

Cue Power - Neil Robertson

Rest Play - Jimmy White

Bottle - Hendry, Higgins or Selby

Best Front Runner - Ronnie O'Sullivan or Hendry

Tactical Astuteness - Selby

Laying Snookers - Ding

Escaping Snookers - McManus

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby TheSaviour

Thinking aobut just a one player, a break-building-wise. It must be Ronnie O´Sullivan, No matter how good, an in-form, or an impressive any other player might be, there just isn´t centuries flying in in a way those are with him. They just are just misfiring that 33/34 shot, or that 49/50 shot, even if wouldn´t just believe that would be the case.

One of the most impressive "comeback"or an "improvement I have ever witnessed is Anthony McGill´s late surge. He must had been an awfully disappointed after crashing out immediately against Stephen Maguire at the Worlds. I have knew he has been capable to break-build like he recently has. But actually making it to happen. Priceless! It really is! Only the centuries is what it is lacking at the moment....

Ryan Day also is a player I would predict to make a comeback like that during some time. I don´t know when.

If giving a "pressure-free" conditions to play a match after a match day in, day out I would say that Maguire and Matthew Stevens would still be a two players to make the most centuries. But that would be the case only with those pressure-free conditions. And still a many ifs there. But theoretically they are the two best break-builders. Perhaps with the exception of Ronnie O´Sullivan.

Ronnie´s prepations to the tournaments have been spot on. He always comes out firing with the all the cylinders. Let´s take the Worlds for example. On any given year he is immediately ready and playing really well. His problem just has been running out of the gas. He seems to not to even bother participating many tournaments anymore. Probably because he knows he playing really well straight away, winning perhaps a 3 match with an ease. Only to lose the next one, to someone like Michael Holt or to Ding Junhui.

And that´s why currently it seems that it is John Higgins who is threatening to break the records, not Ronnie.

Re: My Perfect Player

Postby TheSaviour

The great thing about Mark Selby is when he makes mistakes he makes those look a very human. Even he does those, even when it is crucial. Even you would thought he wouldn´t make any because he makes those look so human and that is educative. If anything is. And it makes the sport looking great.

So I don´t know what category that would be. But I would take that from him, if someone could find a suitable category.

Ding is the most professional, probably. I would take that from him.

I agree the sport has move on greatly. But I still can find some mistakes.