Premier League Week 13

Posted: 30.04.13 in Tournament Analysis Blog category

We have match analysis, last game syndrome and some tips for this week's darting action!

I had a week off from watching the Premier League last week, well sort of! I have a monthly “commitment” to meet up with some old friends and it is on the train over that I always vow to start a campaign to get the person a medal that invented SkyGo . I have a few sneaky looks at Twitter to keep up with events as my evening unfolds.

I recorded the action though and enjoyed viewing/analysing the games later knowing of course the outcome of the each game. This reminded me of the value of a post match dissection whatever sport you are watching and an area that played a major part in the sports analysis course I took.  When you are watching live it is difficult to truly identify key moments of a game in any sport; with the benefit of hindsight it is easier.

The best example last week was The Wizard coming back from 5:3 down to defeat Mighty Mike 7:5. This is also a great example of the fine lines (at this level anyway) of success or failure. At 5:4 for example MVG missed his splits-he had a bash at 12, 6 and 3 to go 6:4 up and one last chance at madhouse, he missed! A 69 finish in the next leg from The Wizard was a master-class in having the right temperament under pressure to close out the leg.

Another key point of Whitlock’s performance was that there were no signs of him relaxing knowing he had got a point, he remained focused on getting to 7 legs, 6 wasn’t his goal! A 92, 140, 133 and a 120 was a fantastic 12 dart burst against the throw in the last leg and meant that although Mighty Mike did have an unsuccessful throw at tops for the draw, Whitlock deserved his shot at 16 and in it went. A classic 14 dart leg against the throw was enough to keep Whitlock’s playoff hopes alive, just.

May 2 - The Echo Arena, Liverpool
Michael van Gerwen v Andy Hamilton
James Wade v Simon Whitlock
Robert Thornton v Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld v Adrian Lewis
James Wade v Andy Hamilton

From a betting perspective the player to score the most 180’s on the night continues to amuse me. This week the two players with the fewest amount of 180’s in the tournament (excluding Wes and Anderson), The Machine (29, average 2.2 per game) and The Hammer (34, 2.61 per game) are favourites for this accolade.2/1 they are, as they are both playing twice of course!

The two 180 table toppers MVG (51, average 3.64 per game) and Barney (49, average 3.76) are both priced at 8/1 to grab the most. Mighty Mike is in sparkling form and Barney hit 5 last week so they are in with a shout! 8/1, tempting isn't it?

The Hammer takes on Wade in the last game of the night. The players seem to be really struggling with this second game scenario and the final throws of the evening are gruesome but compulsive viewing. James Wade is in yoyo form and struggled last week so it does make it difficult to back him either way.  However, Hamilton with a 2.5 leg start at Evens looks one way of profiting from the “climax” of the night.

Finally the highest checkout being 116 or higher at 5/6 from 888 looks interesting in the Taylor/Thornton match. Taylor popped in a 129 last week and The Thorn a superb 145 to secure both points against Lewis, even more remarkably it was the last throw of the last game of the night!

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