Who will win this years World Championship ?

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Who's your favourite for this years title ?

One of the seeds ? Or will it be a qualifier ?

If Ronnie does get to the semi-final, he could be facing either Ryan Day or Matthew Stevens/Barry Hawkins and Ronnie should be able to easily beat any of these players, assuming of course that he beats Robertson in the quarter-finals which he looks like doing based on the form he showed today.

Form today? Two centuries but in those frame he won Mark Williams got a start in half of those frames and broke down. A player in better form than Mark is in at the moment would have exposed Ronnie so lets not pretend Ronnie is so magic eh?

CaledonianCraig wrote:Form today? Two centuries but in those frame he won Mark Williams got a start in half of those frames and broke down. A player in better form than Mark is in at the moment would have exposed Ronnie so lets not pretend Ronnie is so magic eh?

But most of the reason Mark did break down when he was in amongst the balls when he got in was because he fully knew that just the one mistake could be fatal as it would let Ronnie in for an opportunity to clear up the table and steal the frame, just like what John Higgins did many times in the World Final last year V Judd Trump.

No it was because he is off form. He is missing balls that in his prime he never missed a bit like Higgins did against Hendry.

gboycottnut wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:Form today? Two centuries but in those frame he won Mark Williams got a start in half of those frames and broke down. A player in better form than Mark is in at the moment would have exposed Ronnie so lets not pretend Ronnie is so magic eh?

But most of the reason Mark did break down when he was in amongst the balls when he got in was because he fully knew that just the one mistake could be fatal as it would let Ronnie in for an opportunity to clear up the table and steal the frame, just like what John Higgins did many times in the World Final last year V Judd Trump.

Sorry? Most top players have that same ability to clean up. MJ knows this so that would not have entered his mind.

Williams had a session yesterday similar to what John Higgins had against Hendry, nothing more. Ronnie played very well to clean up his chances without a doubt but a player in better form than Williams yesterday would not have left those chances.
Ronnie does not look in better form than Robertson to be honest and there is no way Robertson will leave those opportunities.
It will be a very close match but i think that Robertson has the better game to fall back on, if things go badly, than Ronnie does right now.

5 years ago, not a chance and Ronnie would have beaten him but right now, Robertson is the better player i feel.

Trump also looks like he is struggeling greatly as well.

The only two players that look in some serious form is Maguire and Robbo.

I have the utmost respect for Ronnie O'Sullivan and have him up there as one of the greatest ever players. I just simply cant stand the disrespect his fans have for other players by dismissing them so easily.

Some people claim that he has underachieved due to all the talent he posses' and there is some truth in that.
I personally believe that he has over achieved in a game requiring supreme mental strength which is not something that Ronnie has in abundance.

eirebilly wrote:I have the utmost respect for Ronnie O'Sullivan and have him up there as one of the greatest ever players. I just simply cant stand the disrespect his fans have for other players by dismissing them so easily.

Some people claim that he has underachieved due to all the talent he posses' and there is some truth in that.
I personally believe that he has over achieved in a game requiring supreme mental strength which is not something that Ronnie has in abundance.

+1000000 mate. Nowadays, even his biggest fans can't say he's in the frame for titles. The thing that really bugs me about him is that the press only care about "Ronnie Ronnie Ronnie". Yes, he gets the crowds in but come on, there are other players here too that are pretty exciting.

He probably still is the biggest drawcard in snooker in the UK but players like Trump, Allen, Higgins, Robbo, Williams and Hendry (to name a few) still draw the crowds in as well. They just may not be as vocal as the Ronnie fans.
I really like Allen but along with Ronnie, he does attract the rather vocal yobboísh fan to the matches but thats ok.

The Chinese player in China attract more fans than the game has ever had as well which is fantastic.

eirebilly wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:Form today? Two centuries but in those frame he won Mark Williams got a start in half of those frames and broke down. A player in better form than Mark is in at the moment would have exposed Ronnie so lets not pretend Ronnie is so magic eh?

But most of the reason Mark did break down when he was in amongst the balls when he got in was because he fully knew that just the one mistake could be fatal as it would let Ronnie in for an opportunity to clear up the table and steal the frame, just like what John Higgins did many times in the World Final last year V Judd Trump.

Sorry? Most top players have that same ability to clean up. MJ knows this so that would not have entered his mind.

Williams had a session yesterday similar to what John Higgins had against Hendry, nothing more. Ronnie played very well to clean up his chances without a doubt but a player in better form than Williams yesterday would not have left those chances.
Ronnie does not look in better form than Robertson to be honest and there is no way Robertson will leave those opportunities.
It will be a very close match but i think that Robertson has the better game to fall back on, if things go badly, than Ronnie does right now.

5 years ago, not a chance and Ronnie would have beaten him but right now, Robertson is the better player i feel.

Trump also looks like he is struggeling greatly as well.

The only two players that look in some serious form is Maguire and Robbo.

Well Ronnie did clear up the table when making a 128 break starting from a long red yesterday afternoon. If this doesn't show you that he is back to the form he had a few years ago then nothing will.

gboycottnut wrote:

Well Ronnie did clear up the table when making a 128 break starting from a long red yesterday afternoon. If this doesn't show you that he is back to the form he had a few years ago then nothing will.

1 frame. Hendry made a 147 does that mean he is back to top form and a shoe in for the titel?

If you are going to use century breaks as a stat to judge form. Here is one for you.

Ronnie century breaks so far this worlds 3
Robertson century breaks so far this worlds 5

Who is the player with the better form then?

Ronnie's all round game has been impressive, especially his safety and snookers. He's not giving up frames like the Ronnie of old.

Personally, whilst there are some gifted and exciting players left in the tournament when Ronnie is mentally focused like he is i still think he is the man to beat.

Williams did look out of sorts, but this is someone who's been struggling for form and has an appalling record against Ronnie, once it goes against you it's hard to break yourself out of it. It's why Hendry is having such a great tournament, he's playing with no fear. Ronnie is the same, if he gets beat at least he's enjoying his snooker.

eirebilly wrote:If you are going to use century breaks as a stat to judge form. Here is one for you.

Ronnie century breaks so far this worlds 3
Robertson century breaks so far this worlds 5

Who is the player with the better form then?

But Robertson has made these breaks against average players like Dave Gilbert, whereas Ronnie has had to do it against players of the calibre of Mark Williams and Peter Ebdon both of whom are great players and still more than capable of winning the WC. Ronnie has been very consistent in his breakbuilding in this year's WC as even if he doesn't make a century break, he makes a big enough break to win him the frame. Also Ronnie as he showed V Mark Williams on Saturday afternoon has better safety play and a better tactical awareness around a snooker table when compared to Neil Robertson who is more of an out-and-out single ball potter like a Mark Williams.

King Beer wrote:Ronnie's all round game has been impressive, especially his safety and snookers. He's not giving up frames like the Ronnie of old.

Personally, whilst there are some gifted and exciting players left in the tournament when Ronnie is mentally focused like he is i still think he is the man to beat.

Williams did look out of sorts, but this is someone who's been struggling for form and has an appalling record against Ronnie, once it goes against you it's hard to break yourself out of it. It's why Hendry is having such a great tournament, he's playing with no fear. Ronnie is the same, if he gets beat at least he's enjoying his snooker.

Hendry is having a great tournament so far as he hasn't had to play one of the top players in supreme form as yet. John Higgins played terrible snooker on Friday evening, and if Hendry had a chance to play Mark Selby in the supreme form he showed during last year's WC when he easily beat Hendry, Hendry would still lose as his game just isn't good enough anymore to compete and win consistently over a WC fortnight.

The majority of Robertsons centurys came against Ken Doherty, arguably the best player of tight snooker the game has seen and one that doesnt offer up easy chances.

Seriously, just because Roberston and Williams are great long ball potters does not mean that they have are not great breakbuilders. I suggest you take a quick look at the leading century makers this season and last season to get a better understanding of just how good a breakbuilder Robertson is.

Williams is, and always has been, a player that focus' purely on winning a frame. He has more 70-90 frame winning breaks than anyother player.

Out and out single ball potters...

This is exactly why i dont like Ronnie fans. Absolutely no respect given to any other players. Its ok for Higgins to be out of form when Hendry beat him but when its Ronnie, players out of form mean nothing.

eirebilly wrote:The majority of Robertsons centurys came against Ken Doherty, arguably the best player of tight snooker the game has seen and one that doesnt offer up easy chances.

Seriously, just because Roberston and Williams are great long ball potters does not mean that they have are not great breakbuilders. I suggest you take a quick look at the leading century makers this season and last season to get a better understanding of just how good a breakbuilder Robertson is.

Williams is, and always has been, a player that focus' purely on winning a frame. He has more 70-90 frame winning breaks than anyother player.

Out and out single ball potters...

But Ken Doherty is way past it now and isn't anywhere near the player he once was when he won the WC in 1997. Also Robertson may be a good breakbuilder but the question I would like to ask is can he produce and keep up the high standard of producing consistent frame winning breaks for frame after frame over a long match when playing someone like Ronnie O'Sullivan. Somehow I doubt it.

He has done it gboycottnut. He has won the world titel doing just that less than 2 years ago? Seriously do you know anything about any other players than Ronnie? Look at what he has won this year alone, look at his century count and look at hid form coming into this worlds...

Doherty may not be the player he once was but he is still very difficult to play against and leaves you nothing. Almost the same type of player as Ebdon.

I pose this question to you now. What has Ronnie done in the last few visits to to the worlds that leads you to believe that he can maintin the intensity to win the worlds?

eirebilly wrote:He has done it gboycottnut. He has won the world titel doing just that less than 2 years ago? Seriously do you know anything about any other players than Ronnie? Look at what he has won this year alone, look at his century count and look at hid form coming into this worlds...

Doherty may not be the player he once was but he is still very difficult to play against and leaves you nothing. Almost the same type of player as Ebdon.

Robertson may have won the world title 2 years ago but he didn't have to play and beat Ronnie O'Sullivan to win that year's tournament. And I actually know a lot about snooker as I have followed the sport for over 30 years now and I know about the styles and abilities of the other players apart from Ronnie, who incidentally isn't even my favourite player.

Ok, so because Robertson didnt beat Ronnie to win the world titel its a devalued win is it? Ok, fair enough. No real point in discussing things further with you as you clearly only see one player even if you do try to claim that he is not your favourite.

The fact that Robertson came out on top of a field of players that included Ronnie means nothing. Feel sorry for the lad to do all that work for nothing.

eirebilly wrote:I pose this question to you now. What has Ronnie done in the last few visits to to the worlds that leads you to believe that he can maintin the intensity to win the worlds?

Ronnie hasn't shown this kind of mental focus since he last won here in 2008. In terms of his cue ball control he looks like he could clear up at every chance he gets (i know they kept going on about his tip), his general demeanour isn't sour like it's been in the past. He's fighting for frames. A going back, if he needed a snooker he would concede the frame and start again, now he is battling for everything. He's not kicking himself for missing century chances.

You slate Ronnie fans, yet you can't acknowledge the fact that Hendry played very well, albeit against a poor Higgins.

Out of what's left, on paper Robbo is his biggest threat, but these other guys are producing shocks.

eirebilly wrote:I pose this question to you now. What has Ronnie done in the last few visits to to the worlds that leads you to believe that he can maintin the intensity to win the worlds?

Well unlike the recent years of the WC, Ronnie seems to be fully focused this year and he now knows that with his arch-nemesis John Higgins now out of this year's tournament, it is now his for the taking. I really can't see anyone being capable of seriously challenging him over a best of 35 frame match.

King Beer wrote:

Ronnie hasn't shown this kind of mental focus since he last won here in 2008. In terms of his cue ball control he looks like he could clear up at every chance he gets (i know they kept going on about his tip), his general demeanour isn't sour like it's been in the past. He's fighting for frames. A going back, if he needed a snooker he would concede the frame and start again, now he is battling for everything. He's not kicking himself for missing century chances.

You slate Ronnie fans, yet you can't acknowledge the fact that Hendry played very well, albeit against a poor Higgins.

Out of what's left, on paper Robbo is his biggest threat, but these other guys are producing shocks.

I think that if you read back, i have complimented Hendry on his performances many many times so i am not sure why your jumping in here half cocked. He still had to do alot to win. I said that by his own admission, Higgins played the worst he ever has at the crucible. I fail to see how that is having a go at Hendry?

Ronnie is playing and looking very confident, i have also said that on many occasions but he has also done that in the last few years only to stumble when his focus deserts him. Robertson, i feel, is just on another level than Ronnie right now and is looking in the form that won him the worlds 2 years ago and he has already won a major tournement this year. My point is i dont like Ronnie fans writing a player of his quality off.

gboycottnut wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I pose this question to you now. What has Ronnie done in the last few visits to to the worlds that leads you to believe that he can maintin the intensity to win the worlds?

Well unlike the recent years of the WC, Ronnie seems to be fully focused this year and he now knows that with his arch-nemesis John Higgins now out of this year's tournament, it is now his for the taking. I really can't see anyone being capable of seriously challenging him over a best of 35 frame match.

18 times at the crucible for 3 wins suggest to me, that although one of the best players to play the game, Ronnie lacks the mental strength at times to go on and win as much as his skill has deserved. If you cant see any other player that can challenge Ronnie then i cant see how you can watch a sport and not notice any other players. Ronnie was on excellent form last year and still didnt win...

eirebilly wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I pose this question to you now. What has Ronnie done in the last few visits to to the worlds that leads you to believe that he can maintin the intensity to win the worlds?

Well unlike the recent years of the WC, Ronnie seems to be fully focused this year and he now knows that with his arch-nemesis John Higgins now out of this year's tournament, it is now his for the taking. I really can't see anyone being capable of seriously challenging him over a best of 35 frame match.

18 times at the crucible for 3 wins suggest to me, that although one of the best players to play the game, Ronnie lacks the mental strength at times to go on and win as much as his skill has deserved. If you cant see any other player that can challenge Ronnie then i cant see how you can watch a sport and not notice any other players. Ronnie was on excellent form last year and still didnt win...

That was because last year he had to play his arch-nemesis John Higgins in the quarter-finals and unlike last year he is really up for it and playing well this year.

Why is it that to his fans, Ronnie is 'up for it' up until the point that he loses and then he was not up for it?

Last year he played some sublime snooker before getting knocked out, the same the year before that...

I was watching him last year and he looked unstoppable, as he often does until he is beaten. This does not mean that he is 'not up for it'. Thats really a cop out.

eirebilly wrote:Why is it that to his fans, Ronnie is 'up for it' up until the point that he loses and then he was not up for it?

Last year he played some sublime snooker before getting knocked out, the same the year before that...

I was watching him last year and he looked unstoppable, as he often does until he is beaten. This does not mean that he is 'not up for it'. Thats really a cop out.

Actually Ronnie didn't play all that well last year during his first and second round matches even if he did win them both. This year though he looks like playing again the vintage snooker he played back in 2004 and 2008.

The thing is, Ronnie is one of the best snooker players i have ever seen and there is no better player to watch when he is in full flow. Unfortunately for Ronnie, he has bi polar and when he gets put under some intence pressure it affects him.

Its such a massive disrespect for other players when his fans say that he was not up for certain matches. Its his mental strength due partly to his illness, not the fact that he is 'not up to it'.

Actually he did look very good last year gboycottnut.

eirebilly wrote:Actually he did look very good last year gboycottnut.

Did he heck.

Ok.

Trump has had an astonishing run of luck so far. You have to wonder when it will run out.

eirebilly wrote:Trump has had an astonishing run of luck so far. You have to wonder when it will run out.

Judd has the potential to seriously challenge Ronnie over the best of 35 frame match if he can play to the same standard that he did in his semi final and the first half of his World Final matches of last year. I can't see anyone else including Stephen Hendry seriously giving Ronnie a hard match in such a long format this year.

gboycottnut wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Trump has had an astonishing run of luck so far. You have to wonder when it will run out.

Judd has the potential to seriously challenge Ronnie over the best of 35 frame match if he can play to the same standard that he did in his semi final and the first half of his World Final matches of last year. I can't see anyone else including Stephen Hendry seriously giving Ronnie a hard match in such a long format this year.

Jaysus, alright already. We know that you think that Ronnie is the best. There are some very good matches on right now that DONT involve Ronnie. Can you just not enjoy those?

Both Carter and Trump making a few mistakes here but Trump is finishing better. Not going to write Ali off just yet as he still can trouble Trump.

Ah yes, the usual old Ronnie slobber fest. What major snooker tournament would be complete without it?

"Robertson's world title is meaningless because he didn't beat Ronnie along the way....The only person who can ever beat Ronnie (or has ever beaten Ronnie) is, well, Ronnie!....He made a century break in one particular frame, so is clearly back to his 2004 best....If he's in form all he has to do is turn up and he'll win...."

Boring, tedious, inaccurate - we could be here all day exposing the holes in these theories.

I wonder though, if O'Sullivan doesn't win the title, what excuses will his acolytes offer up? I'm guessing there will be a few, namely:

1) He didn't play well, if he did he'd have won at a canter.

2) He wasn't up for it this time, I know he was up for it in his other matches, but he stopped being up for it right before the match he lost, so it doesn't really count as he beat himself.

3) His father doing porridge has had a profound effect on him.

4) He's suffered with bipolar disorder, none of you know what it's like to be in Ronnie's shoes, he's had it so hard but if he didn't have these mental demons, he'd win every tournament easily.

5) The other player performed far too negatively. He employed mind games and didn't leave Ronnie in the balls enough, which is basically cheating, because Ronnie likes to play quickly.

6) Yep, Ronnie got beaten fair and square by the better player.**

NB, ** = purely comical addition to the list, as no O'Sullivan fan would ever say this.

Not all O'Sullivan fans are snooker idiots, but all snooker idiots are O'Sullivan fans.

Trump on a Maximum here

nice to see it isnt limited to boxing isnt it chris

Unfortunate kiss kills the max attempt

ShahenshahG wrote:nice to see it isnt limited to boxing isnt it chris

Ha! Well I didn't expect to see any of the boxing nuts here Shah, I must say. Would be good to get your take on things - I suspect they'll be a little less scathing than mine!

Appreciate O'Sullivan's freakish talents, just not his attitude to the game, nor that of his obsessive fans whose knowledge of the game outside of Ronnie could comfortably fit on the back of a postage stamp with room to spare.

Chris,

Some of his fans are truely annoying. Its the lack of respect that they show towards any of his opponants which really gets me more than anything.

Ronnies bi polar does affect him though and is not a nice thing to have.

I'd be very surprised if anyone brought up his old man doing porridge, isn't he out now?

On his day, regardless of opinion, Ronnie can beat anyone in the world. He is probably the greatest snooker player to play the game. If Ronnie loses, that person deserves all the plaudits because Ronnie is playing superbly.

We should be looking forward to Robbo v Ronnie as something that should be a snooker exhibition, rather than bitching over why people love Ronnie.

EireBilly, I wouldn't for one second dispute that.

However, my gripe is how O'Sullivan's die hard fanatics use it as a convenient excuse for every defeat he's ever suffered and, more worryingly, as a means of excusing his quite frankly terrible behaviour at certain times in the past. I'm willing to write off some of O'Sullivan's misdemanours as results of his inner problems, but there are others which, as far as I'm concerned, are nothing more than proof of what an unpleasant, self-centred and conceited individual he can be.

I resent, too, how the Ronnie fan boys are happy to assume that nobody who aims a negative comment towards him can possibly understand his feelings, or could have ever experienced similar problems without the aforementioned mishaps. Nor do I recall them ever being so concerned and heart-broken when similar stories surrounding the likes of Dott have emerged.

I just think that it is a bad sickness to have and one that i would'nt wish on anyone Chris.

I have the same grips as you do with his fans and their constant disrespect for other professional players. There are so many good players around today and on any given day, any of them can win.

Its been one fantastic tournement so far though. I have enjoyed everyminute of it. Trump has a fight on his hands with Carter

Trump is such a fantastic potter. Such a joy to watch.

Trump leads 12-9. No chance left for Carter now.

88Chris05 wrote:

ShahenshahG wrote:nice to see it isnt limited to boxing isnt it chris

Ha! Well I didn't expect to see any of the boxing nuts here Shah, I must say. Would be good to get your take on things - I suspect they'll be a little less scathing than mine!

Appreciate O'Sullivan's freakish talents, just not his attitude to the game, nor that of his obsessive fans whose knowledge of the game outside of Ronnie could comfortably fit on the back of a postage stamp with room to spare.

I think I'd agree with you this time, the sort of disrespect every other snooker player gets is nigh on ridiculous and I personally reckon prime() Hendry crushes him mentally with his patient and inevitable frame building. Its too much about Ronnie and no enough about the game. Its why I have a distinct dislike of Pac and Mayweather even though I hold boths talents in high esteem.

I am an armchair fan in most sports and flick around the forum but limit my posting ou of sheer sluggishness

Carter is on a 147 now!!!!!

Unfortunate run of the ball for Carter.