oh Joe.... Joe, Joe, Joe.

Must stop doing this.

Sick evening ahead, it's kind of a shoot-out for a PREM LEAGUE place, I think everyone of these was a different level of underdog for the PREM but all with a case of sorts for them. Win and they're in whoever wins it, final might be good enough for some, and if it isn't it'll get them well on the way.

Cullen, is getting more and more opportunities, he's periodically under-delivered every single time (you could argue he was unlucky vs Gary at the matchplay) if he wants to go where he wants to go in darts he better start taking them, and soon! He's a tricky guy in whitlock though, he won here before, he's won plenty, he can do it for sure. Would love to see James Wade back, looked totally gone at the game last year this would be a remarkable return to form, and my god is Max Hopp wins the roof is coming off

[Kurran]

My Thoughts So Farl

Kurran

Kurran is shit, so far he's shown an incredible lack of aptitude towards any task, no matter how significant, he couldn't even have an arm wrestle without breaking his arm. Soon as his team loses the PM will bring him back regardless and pray it's not a double firing - god help Stato if he gets PM!

Rick

Rick seems to talk a fairly good game and looks somewhat presentable, however if you look at the facts he's basically been terrible. I'm biased because he's on Alex's team and Richard Branson could be on Alex's team and I'd find something negative to say about him.  His major contribution so far has been the octopus incident and a few sexist comments which will go down BADLY with Karen.

I would make these two currently the weakest.

Tom

Redeemed himself with some sales tekkers on the Saunas but aside from that he's been crazy average, his PM performance was a total joke and seems like it's all a bit of a laugh to him, could be one of those guys who starts out ladding it about but then starts to take it seriously and shows some strong improvements, needs it though, same attitude like this and he's going to run into a brick wall very soon imo.

Daniel

Talks about himself like he's some sort of genius guy, but has done precisely nothing as of yet - which doesn't mean he's not good just means there is nothing really to suggest anything about him, again comes across to me like he's in there for the bants and not really a serious guy. All the "Better to cry in a bentley than a banger" bullshit is pretty cringe, I mean "we spent $16,000 on a night out in vegas" come on mate who hasn't done that

Sarah - Ann

Lawyer from tee-side with an eyebrow piercing, on first appearances didnt look like a serious candidate. She hasn't really done much prior to her PM but everything she had done seemed pretty sensible and relatively intelligent, her PM performance wasn't flawless but she handled it in a relatively competent manner.  Might have just run good so far, but dark horse potential, strong dark horse potential.

Camilla

PM display was ok-ish, seems a bit hot-headed and wreckless to me, seems to have a bit about her though, don't really know what else to say about her...

Jackie

She's on my team so gotta back her up, has had a successful business which apparently was sold for a decent wedge, but then Sugar gonna ask why she doesn't use her own money, from what I've seen she seems to know what she's doing, talks well, competent in sales and has shown some strategic thinking, certainly hasn't done anything donk yet - biggest worry is she is quite abrasive, unlikely to be that popular and likely to cause a few bust-ups, can see her appearing in the boardroom a few times and Sugar might go tired of her. She's also Canadian and that can be annoying. I think she has a great shot at top 5.

Sabrina

Her PM performance was a bit wooly, she didn't show great leadership, made some silly mistakes, didn't really demonstrate a "big picture" approach. Having said that she seems very personable, and has some spunky boardroom tekkers. Has her own business, she's for sure one who needs to improve as the weeks go along, but if she can learn from whats happening and being said I think she's got a final 5 in her.

Khadija

On the surface she seems aggro, brash and shouty, but I think there is a very appealing humility to her, when she was told in the boardroom by Sabrina she was intimidating she seemed genuinely upset to hear it and since has come across way less aggressive.  Despite how it appeared for most of episodes 1-2 she also seems to me to be quite popular. Hasn't set the world on fire but most of what she's done so far has come across as fairly intelligent to me. She also, according to reports i read o ngoogle, is the only candidate (I guess you exclude Jackie from this) who runs her own business and submitted profitable accounts for the past year.

Kayode

Went in for PM on week 1, which, putting it mildly, is brave. Seemed to automatically gain the respect of everyone, seems popular, very capable in sales - although we're yet to actually see anything else from him yet - and the way he handled not being on the product team last week I thought was thoroughly professional.  My favourite line of the series so far was in EP1, he said he thought about going to the off-license for salt, to which Karen replies "You were going to an off license to buy salt"
Kayode's response - "I don't know Karen, I've never been to Malta"
Think he's going deep.

Jasmine
Seems very solid and very credible, the hot sauce on the donut was of course complete headloss but you can have a headloss over a donut and still be a good businesswomen. Karen likes her, she's firey when needed, calm when needed and seems pretty smart. Top 2 for me.

Sian
Strong, feisty, calculated, seems to fully grasp the early stages are about staying out of danger "coasting" as Claude put it. Looks to be the one with the business sense, self awareness, strong will and character to navigate her way through, I would be very surprised if she doesn't top 5.

Stato's team would be far and away the strongest if not for Kurran, who's a brains timebomb waiting to happen, Keith has two solid guys including Jasmine who's a big shout to top 5. Me and Alex and in a bit of a high variance spot, could easily get 2 in the top 5 or be next 3 out, need to see some movements or could be an expensive season!

Wow Euro Darts - Shit just got reeeaaaaaaaaaaaal.

The bottom half of the draw was always looking like one that might throw a bone to someone who's never made a major final before, Mensur was the standout guy at the top of that half with a dreamy, dreamy run to the final in today's day and age, he got turned over in a limp dicked showing by Cristo Reyes. Gurney has shown a bit of a return to form and should have picked some confidence up following a Semi @ the GP and he'd have fancied it but got beat by an impressive Ricky Evans.

The top half, which has seen MVG, Wright, White, Smith exit has left 4 players in the top half, all of whom have a real point to prove and a great chance to prove it;

Steve West - he's got the MVG hangover problem to worry about, very rarely do people follow MVG-toppling performances with anything substantial, Steve is a player who has shown more and more he's capable of top-10 standard darts, but his doubling frailties and lack of conviction in the big moments has meant he's never really delivered it on the big stage where it matters, a final here could really push him on - he's good enough, and this is a great chance.

Simon Whitlock - Hasn't had a terrible year, held onto his world top10 spot comfortably and put in a decent premier league campaign, but i realty has he done enough to get back in? He finalled one of the weakest euro tours ever and lost to Gerwyn price in a terrible game. He's been nowhere near the majors, wasnt that impressive in the world series and hasn't really had much to sing about on the floor. If he wants his PL spot, I think he needs to put a big major run in.

Joe Cullen - He's good enough for a top 10 spot, and has the game/character for the PL, problem is most casual darts fans wont even really know who he is, he has consistently lost games he needs to win at every point, he's had a few euro tours open up for him and got turned over by guys he should beat, as a result he's never really put in a good showing in a major, until the matchplay where he played a blinder vs Gary but ran into a man destined to win that tournament, he said in his interview that Barry Hearn told him "make a major final and you're in the PL" can he hack the pressure? Jury is out, he needs to prove to himself I think.

Rob Cross - Probably more to prove than anyone else, had a really tough year as world champ, been beaton by everyone this year, sometimes 105 average sometimes 91 average, the killer instinct he had last year hasn't been there, people saying things like "is he realy as good as he looked last year?" a Major win in his second year on tour from no form and little confidence could be a great shout to right those comments!

Bottom half is going to be fascinating to watch too, Darren Webster (who i'm a big fan off) has got himself into the top 16 and a deep run here with little prize money to defend could fire him up towards the top10, he's never really brought it to the latter stages of a major either so he's got a point to prove, Max Hopp fell out of form somewhat since his euro tour win, my god if he won a major...in Germany, the roof might fly off, he'll be as aware as anyone the significance of him winning this major tournament - I'd love to see how he'd handle that pressure.

James Wilson been playing really well lately, making a ET final when MVG had lost only 2-3 legs all weekend and actually gave him a game, he's another one who's ranking could be boosted hugely by a deep major run, he's going to have a very frosty game vs Hopp tomorrow, unchartered territory for him.  Wade and Chizzy both dropped from the PL this yr and both have heir rankings position under severe threat, they'll be looking t their draw and thinking, I HAVE TO MAKE THE FINAL HERE, as neither of them (despite some strong performances) have really done anything this year to justify their places back in the PL.

Great oppurtunity for Ricky Evans, having found some slick form last couple of months, this could help him in so many ways, confidence and ranking points going into the worlds could see a big wegde of money going into his rankings, he's playing very well and getting used to winning games lately, he'll look at that draw and think, yeh you know what...I can final this. Gerwyn Price had a horrible start to the year and totally lost his head in the premier league, then got himself injured. Last half of the year been good, winning himself a euro tour, he hasn't really been playing all that great, would be a great move towards securing himself another go at the PL finalling here.

Come on the darts!

Seems more straightforward to me.  You have the slip, surely they have to pay?  They can't void a bet if you know nothing about the voiding?  Obviously the chance of getting banned from Ladbrokes is high after any winning bet, but can't see how asking to be paid correctly changes that.

The bet had been voided, so there was no bet. The big question is, when the horse loses (which is will the vast majority) what is the % chance that a complete stranger to me, only knows me that I make reasonable sized bets on stuff quite a bit, gives me £500 back when he can pocket the money and I will be none the wiser. I'd throw my 14/1 slip away and feel very sad my horse didn't win.

awful as if the horse wins you get paid somewhere between 0 and 10%. I would ask to see the slip to prove the bet was on, obv he'd have given you 380 and not mentioned it had it won but at least you can see was actually placed.

very tilting.

i had a spot at a bookies at Cheltenham, went to Ladbrokes had 2 bets one of which i had 250ew on a horse at 14/1. The horse placed so was due 1100 odd back, went into collect (with a ticket that said xxx horse 250ew 14/1 on it) the guy ushered me outside to speak to me... he told me the bet came back just as i was leaving the shop @10/1, he ran outside to find me but couldnt. He voided the whole bet and put £500 in tbe safe for me to give me next time i come in. Upshot is I am getting 500 not 1100.

He told me if i complained i could be banned from all Ladbrokes shops and that he could be fired and essentially pleaded with me to accept the 500 back and forget about it.

What do you do?

A judge heard Woods had owned a £30,000 Mercedes, a £10,000 Rolex Submariner watch and had almost £800 in cash at the time.

Almost £800!!

Some drug dealer, should have stuck to cards.

Nice to have jackpot back Smith felt the pressure more than jackpot.

terrible last leg, aside from that a cracking game, Lewis on form is a joy to watch, if he can get back to his best then he's a live runner for any tournament and will be back in the top 10 in no time, and be amazing for darts, having MVG, Gary, Wright, Mensur, Cross and Lewis on top form would be great! Luckily for him he's got a 15 months of v little prize money to defend so he's got half a chance of something but NEEDS a run in a major if he's gonna have a sniff at a PL return, he's hugely entertaining so sky/pdc wont need much excuse to give him a wildcard.

Difficult to be convinced by RVB, I think lildave has alluded to that itt, Chizzy @ 5/4+ looks a fair wager this eve imo.

very nice Dr. Brent!

Yep, Chizzy has glimpses of his former self shining through ever more frequently of late, Barney is capable of switching the genius on at any moment with 0 notice, just as he is likely to shake his head and start throwing spanners from nowhere, the 164 was just pure class. This could be a great game 00 vs 100 average, it could be the worst game of the tournament, or one of them could just run it off 3-0. With that in mind I would sway naturally to the man who's the biggest price!

Wow horrible, truly horrible

something i knew, but didn't realise i knew, the last TV titles before the worlds are; The World Series finals, The Euro Finals, The Grand Slam and the Players... MVG has won all 4 3 years running!

looks fine!

big drift on webster just before the off, somewhat inexplicable really.

de Zwaan was so impressive, 99.7 average with the double in format is like 108~ in normal format, interesting to see how this "back problem" is gonna affect garry, he's drifted to 1.33 which I would make a bet not sure how much a short game like this will for the back but I remember him falling to pieces in the PL vs Smith when it hit him, also I think he struggled on T20 with his back like this which is a huge part of his game.

ah interesting, thanks!

SO what's the logic in your opinion for breaking Spieth and Reed up? We know they are a great team, I get the attraction of putting JS and JT together but you could put JT with pretty much anyone surely?

On another note, Woods looked great first 9 today but seemed to really really struggle towards the end of the game and looks drained now, seems another bad call to put him back out?  Not got much idea as to what partnerships he should use but I wouldn't have thought Woods again was a good decision.

Easy to say after but Furyk seems to be missing the mark tactically, agree playing Phil in single ball format is mystifying, and alongside Bryson, I'd have thought the spot for Phil would have been alongside someone like Fowler in the better ball, everyone knows he's liability with a big club into tight fairways. Reed and Woods a very unusual paertnership too, can't see any logic to that, Spieth and Reed have been a great team in the past see no reason to split them up, put woods alongside someone like Thomas or Brooks who is an easier character.

Lot of luck in sports of course and if Phil has of had a good game we'd have been saying what a genius he is, conversely Bjorn's captain picks (Casey, Stenson, Poulter, Garcia) are not only getting the job done with tthe clubs but evidently are amazing for morale around the place, his parings seem to have worked out well as well, sticking with a few tried and tested partnerships as well as conceiving Fleetwood and Molinari which seems inspired now, the Rory/Oleson pairing appears to be the only spot where he might have missed the mark.

A lot of variance obviously just feels like Bjorn is reacting a lot better to what he's seeing on the course than Uncle Jim.