Who will win this years World Championship?

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First topic message reminder :

Who's your favourite for this years title ?

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


We're down to the last 4, so let us know who you think will finally clinch it.

he hasnt left it late- he just hasnt been up to the task untill now. That is due to having less pressure when you feel you have nothing to loose- common practise in snooker.

TSC wrote:Has he blown it?

To be honest I think he has already blown it win or lose this frame.

mystiroakey wrote:he hasnt left it late- he just hasnt been up to the task untill now. That is due to having less pressure when you feel you have nothing to loose- common practise in snooker.

Yes he hasn't been up to the task because he wasn't playing quality match play snooker - for whatever the reason. His ranking, past tournament wins and standing in the game promised so much more than he has shown but something tells me he is just not a big match player.

Blob

Come on Mags

Mags, tongue was in the wrong position there

CaledonianCraig wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:he hasnt left it late- he just hasnt been up to the task untill now. That is due to having less pressure when you feel you have nothing to loose- common practise in snooker.

Yes he hasn't been up to the task because he wasn't playing quality match play snooker - for whatever the reason. His ranking, past tournament wins and standing in the game promised so much more than he has shown but something tells me he is just not a big match player.

pressure in the biggies, now there is nothing to loose the pressure comes of him and goes on to carter- if magurie levels it the pressure then gets split and we get edgy snooker!

Great frame for Mags

Well I said before the session that Maguire had to win this session to give himself a chance but he has drawn it 4-4. For me Ali has just got too much of an advantage and he should win through but at least Maguire gives himself an outside chance.

so Mags claims the last three frames to give himself a glimmer at 10-14 down. Desperately needs a good start to the next session too you feel, but at least he's fighting...

break was on alis side big time.

winning 3 on the spin would have possibly got to him more if he was playing on.

he can be pragmatic and say i drew the session and i am 4 up and only 3 from the win!

maguire will be on a relative high because he won 3 on the spin- but he needs tyo some how keep that momentum and not think negative.


ali is a big fav still.

Sounds like i missed a decent 3 frames from Maguire;s point of view, knew i should of had another pint or 2

So, i wonder if Ronnie will win it with a session to spare, he has done it twice before.

Very possible. A huge ask for Stevens but to give his chances a kiss of life he needs to win this session 6-2.

Big fluke for Stevens there. But can he take full advantage?

Stevens wins the first frame of the day to pull it back to 11-6 and has first chance in the next frame. The phrase 'make hay whilst the sun shines' springs to mind right now.

He is in in the second as well. Needs a massive session here to put Ronnie under any sort of pressure.

Matthew

Big foul that. Still no masive damage done and has a 40 point lead.

No massive damage but he was in with the frame there.

Good pot and it was needed as Ronnie had him in all sorts

Safety please Matt

Agreed but it could have been a heck of a lot more disasterous.

The way this frame has panned out you feel this is a MUST win frame now.

Yeah it was a massive frame for Stevens.

Another frame back for Stevens who pulls it back to 11-7. Still a long way back for Matt but things looking a little less bleak.

That long pot down the cushion was

Ronnie is in. Frame winning chance as well

I wish they'd stop showing us the sweeping view of the Crucible... It really spoiled it last year.

A chance for Ronnie here to restamp his authority on the match.

+1 It gives me a headache TSC.

Looks like Ronnie's frame now and for me now we have another MUST WIN frame next up for Matthew.

What was that about?

a light above or something leaving a shadow on the table. Matt was very lucky there.

Not anymore.

If Ronnie wins the next frame it is game over for me.

Winning this session 3-1 is a step in the right direction. Stevens is still not out of this

I think Virgo Ronnie

Certainly playing with far better due care and attention than we have seen in the past from him. Playing less crazy pots and playing more percentage shots which makes him a better all-round match player for it. Ronnie leads 12-7.

I miss petulant Ronnie

But he has looked like a proper matchplayer in this tournament. He won in Germany with glandular fever I think so maybe that was a sign of things to come.

Virgo moaning at Matchu I see.

You know, if Stevens only trails by two frames going into the last session then he has a very big chance.

Naughty Matthew Stevens snooker.

Does that mean Matchu has to win the session 6-2?

A couple of things Ronnie has said have been the good and bad of him during this tournament. I agree with him when he says he feels all these extra tournaments will force more players into retirement and certainly played a part in Stephen's decision I'd say. However, when Robertson tipped Ronnie for the title Ronnie came out and said something like if I win it then great but if I don't big deal (words to that effect) which is something you'd never hear from other icons of the game like Davis, Hendry or Higgins.

Yeah I have to agree with that. He's shown a lot of mental strength this year.

Is this Ronnie's bad session? (Even though he's not really played badly in it)

Part One of Mission Impossible completed as Stevens wins three of the first four frames and now trails 12-8. In Part Two he needs an identical or better result to keep his hopes alive.

Matchu!!

Has to repeat it. I'll be back after the MSI.

Massive frame for Stevens and he looks a lot more confident today

Ronnie is right that the amount of tournements will affect some of the older players. I have never liked those dismissive comments he makes but its part and parcal with him.

For those who are watching online, who else listens to the msi theme tune to get fired up for the snooker to come. Always loved it since forever.

It's true though. Snooker is becoming a young man's game. Anyone else get the feeling Barry is just trying to get rif of the dead wood?

And yes bret, I do that too

I suppose now though that snooker is definitely in transition. It is being transformed now with a world circuit ad many more tournaments. On the BBC commentary the other day they were suggesting that players may now start picking and choosing what events they enter. Would it be such a bad thing if the season became more like - say tennis where you have the major tournaments attracting all the best players in the world with the players then hand picking the smaller tournies they want to play in?

That programme on Barry tomorrow should be interesting.
Min Matty needs 2-2 to have a drop of a chance