2016 World Championship discussion

[ghost121]

The problem with Trump is that he is simply not as good as people keep telling him he is. Add his lack of intelligence into the equation, along with misplaced ego and immaturity, and he is adrift. The 'naughty snooker' is a typical example of lack of professionalism and is more embarrassing than anything. Any quality player can pot stunning balls at max speed with the pressure off, any can play the longest routes to get position and any can deep screw when they strike it sweetly. Even on pro tables. Messing with his cue action, coach or otherwise, is probably not the answer and could do more harm than good. He needs to grow up, stop being a man child and sort his head out. Personally, I don't buy into the Dennis Tayloresque view that he is a 'lovely chap'. Like more than a few of the pros, he comes across as an idiot with a gift.

[armstm]

i also think judgements aside on whether he is a cockytwat or not, it simply adds pressure that needn't be there. if you say u r going to win etc that's just stupid from a psychological perspective. much better to be neutral like the peters-advised Ronnie is now - say something like "if I play my game, then I have a good chance but X is a strong player"

Before the matchup, I love how Ding was so nice in the interview and Trump was all about crushing him. Gona be fun watching Trump (cocky twat) get crushed. Ding will beat Judd Trump and match against Mark Williams.

[BarryH]

So he's back with his old Stamford? I thought he had been using a Ton Praram for a while, didn't he?

Peter Ebdon talked about this in commentary last night. He said Ding was't happy with his new cue, had got some repairs done to the old one and gone back to using it.

[BarryH]

Maybe what Judd needs is the Steve Peters treatment. He certainly seems to have helped create a new Ronnie.

[Erwan_BZH]

Ding has struggled for form over the last 18 months. He has missed a few events too. I know he has had cue problems and apparently he has had work done to his old Stamford cue and is now back using that again and suddenly his game seems to have come back.

So he's back with his old Stamford? I thought he had been using a Ton Praram for a while, didn't he?

[shmeeko69]

I think Trump needs to go away this summer and work with a top coach and sort out his alignment issues. I know he wears contact lenses as well, something about his sighting has been off because every shot he has missed has been thin. This isn't his usual level, its nothing to do with pressure because the balls he is missing aren't pressure pots.

He certainly does and I think this tournament and his form this season would suggest that.

I'm sure there must be a coach or two in the waiting ready to help take his game to the next level.

[Cov86]

He's always said he doesn't need a coach so he's never had one, but his game is in basically the same place as it was 5 years ago vs Higgins. He knows all the shots, but perhaps he needs a Griffiths or a Reardon figure to suggest a few strategies to him, as Reardon did with O'Sullivan's safety game.

I agree with this. He has basically failed to smooth off the rough edges to his game over the last 3 - 4 years which is disappointing for someone of his talent and obvious motivation really. It isn't just cue ball control it is safety and shot selection at times. OK at 10-6 down he can still win this match but he is now relying on Ding playing badly and/or getting nervous.

I think Mark Williams will fancy his chances against whoever wins. Both Ding and Judd have been poor in the safety department and are not scoring up to their usual standard..... although they still long pot and probably score better than Williams that may not be enough. After a dodgy first session Mark managed to freeze Holt out of the game with terrific safety and relentless pressure; if he plays well there is no reason to think he can't do the same with Ding or Judd. I also think if the game goes scrappy Mark will get less frustrated and keep his composure better than those two.

[GeordieDS]

how many comfort breaks are they allowed on a BO25 match?

Depends if they're losing

[Kyle7758521]

Before the matchup, I love how Ding was so nice in the interview and Trump was all about crushing him. Gona be fun watching Trump (cocky twat) get crushed. Ding will beat Judd Trump and match against Mark Williams.

[BarryH]

Well when you put it like that you make it sound impossible...

Plenty of people have come back from 9-7 and 10-6 down.

Fortunately both are capable of dominating a session. Trump won his second 1st round session 7-2, and won 7 of the last 8 frames. And Ronnie is capable of almost anything!

[mikeyd100]

Yeah he is talented and should be achieving more.
I see him lose the cue ball too often though in his breaks. His potting is awesome so he can recover quite a lot.

[BarryH]

Dom Dale was right about Judd and his cue ball control.
Like others have said I agree that he needs to put his bloody phone away.
Talk about not focusing at the job in hand.

Terry Griffiths said something yesterday in commentary on the BBC about how Judd probably had too many people giving him advice. Hendry keeps saying players should play to their strength, ie Judd should go for his pots. To me it seems that Judd's problems, and cue ball control is clearly a major one, are in his head. When his mental approach is right he can play the most fabulous shots, then a minute later he will twitch on a much easier shot. It can be a very agonising experience watching him as a supporter. More so than with Ronnie. In fact Judd is much more like Alex Higgins to root for. Less predictable than Ronnie, but equally capable of producing sublime snooker, albeit less consistantly.

[mikeyd100]

Dom Dale was right about Judd and his cue ball control.
Like others have said I agree that he needs to put his bloody phone away.
Talk about not focusing at the job in hand.

[P.Smith]

Judd needs to win 7-2, 7-1 or 7-0 tomorrow and Ronnie needs 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 or 6-0. And I was really hoping for them to make it to the final at last...

Well when you put it like that you make it sound impossible...

Plenty of people have come back from 9-7 and 10-6 down.

All things considered though I am still thinking it's gonna be a Ronnie/Higgins final.

[BarryH]

Judd needs to win 7-2, 7-1 or 7-0 tomorrow and Ronnie needs 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 or 6-0. And I was really hoping for them to make it to the final at last...