The darts forum definitive all time top 32

[sennafan24]

Even i felt a bit sorry for obesehead

As did I on that occasion.

[HalloweenJack]

You’re turning into PT13 in this thread.

Thanks.

PT13 is one of my favourite posters on the board.

Lefties sticking together. I wonder if he voted Green like you?

[sennafan24]

You’re turning into PT13 in this thread.

Thanks.

PT13 is one of my favourite posters on the board.

Lefties sticking together. I wonder if he voted Green like you?

Irrelevant.

[Randall]

At his absolute best Lewis is a good shout

[HalloweenJack]

At his absolute best Lewis is a good shout

With the natural talent he had, Lewis should have a won a lot more than the 4 ‘majors’ he did.

[HalloweenJack]

You’re turning into PT13 in this thread.

Thanks.

PT13 is one of my favourite posters on the board.

Lefties sticking together. I wonder if he voted Green like you?

Irrelevant.

‘Informative’

[sennafan24]

At his absolute best Lewis is a good shout

Agreed.

Early 2010s Lewis was a beast at times.

[PT13]

So the player-friendly boards of today do not just increase averages up and down the field, but also potentially reduce the gap between the top talent and those a tier below.

Which in theory would make it even more difficult for a Humphries to dominate. Meaning him doing so was especially impressive.

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is that it would have been easy for Phil Taylor 20+ years ago to let his own playing standard drop.

[PT13]

Matchplay 2021 was an example of peak Wright.

Especially in the semi and final.

Absolutely. I think Wright's form at the 2021 World Matchplay was his greatest ever in a TV tournament.

[Jimmi]

Was a pleasure to witness in person, that semi final against MVG

[sennafan24]

So the player-friendly boards of today do not just increase averages up and down the field, but also potentially reduce the gap between the top talent and those a tier below.

Which in theory would make it even more difficult for a Humphries to dominate. Meaning him doing so was especially impressive.

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is that it would have been easy for Phil Taylor 20+ years ago to let his own playing standard drop.

Wouldn't it be the other way round.

If the boards were more player-friendly in say 2005 and in turn they closed the gap between Taylor and Mardle/Part/Dudbridge, then surely Taylor would have had to work extra hard to ensure he won rather than coasting.

[PT13]

So the player-friendly boards of today do not just increase averages up and down the field, but also potentially reduce the gap between the top talent and those a tier below.

Which in theory would make it even more difficult for a Humphries to dominate. Meaning him doing so was especially impressive.

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is that it would have been easy for Phil Taylor 20+ years ago to let his own playing standard drop.

Wouldn't it be the other way round.

If the boards were more player-friendly in say 2005 and in turn they closed the gap between Taylor and Mardle/Part/Dudbridge, then surely Taylor would have had to work extra hard to ensure he won rather than coasting.

In that scenario, yes.

I was talking about in the older days with the older SD boards. It would have been easy for Taylor back then to take his foot off the gas a bit, and allow his level to drop off closer to the level of other players at the time, especially when the boards were less player-friendly as you put it. Some people already think that Taylor did that to some extent, at times, in the 2003-2005 period, like Randall, and it took the Barney switch for Taylor to be right up there all the time.

Also, Taylor's consistently high level over a long period is what caused the overall standard to rise, as well as the bigger amounts of money on offer. The focus on darts technology, i.e. the darts missiles and the boards, wasn't really there all that match until starting in 2008.

[sennafan24]

So the player-friendly boards of today do not just increase averages up and down the field, but also potentially reduce the gap between the top talent and those a tier below.

Which in theory would make it even more difficult for a Humphries to dominate. Meaning him doing so was especially impressive.

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is that it would have been easy for Phil Taylor 20+ years ago to let his own playing standard drop.

Wouldn't it be the other way round.

If the boards were more player-friendly in say 2005 and in turn they closed the gap between Taylor and Mardle/Part/Dudbridge, then surely Taylor would have had to work extra hard to ensure he won rather than coasting.

In that scenario, yes.

I was talking about in the older days with the older SD boards. It would have been easy for Taylor back then to take his foot off the gas a bit, and allow his level to drop off closer to the level of other players at the time, especially when the boards were less player-friendly as you put it. Some people already think that Taylor did that to some extent, at times, in the 2003-2005 period, like Randall, and it took the Barney switch for Taylor to be right up there all the time.

Also, Taylor's consistently high level over a long period is what caused the overall standard to rise, as well as the bigger amounts of money on offer. The focus on darts technology, i.e. the darts missiles and the boards, wasn't really there all that match until starting in 2008.

Oche has also argued the bolded in the past.

[Randall]

Taylor wasn't close ro his best in the 03-07 world finals

[sennafan24]

Taylor wasn't close ro his best in the 03-07 world finals

In 06 he was.

106 average and a 7-0 win over Manley.

[sennafan24]

I do think Taylor's 05/06 season is underrated.

- He won every PDC TV event in 2005 with the exception of the Matchplay where he lost to Part. Including going unbeaten in the original PL.

- Other than a scare against Mardle in the semis he was in absolute peak form at the 06 Worlds.

- Won the cross code Masters Of Darts, beating the top BDO players along the way.

- Dominated Barney in non-TV cross-code games.

[Randall]

I hadn't realised the numbers in 06 were that ridiculous
He battered Barney twice in the masters of darts in that period
Was there if he needed it

[sennafan24]

I hadn't realised the numbers in 06 were that ridiculous
He battered Barney twice in the masters of darts in that period
Was there if he needed it

Barney beat him once in 2005 in a non-TV cross code meeting.

Taylor won the other 4 non-TV cross-code meetings they had that year, and as you posted also beat him twice in the Masters of Darts.

I will summarise his 2005 TV record against Lloyd later.

[The Thorn]

Please do.

[sennafan24]

As a Lloyd fan his TV record against Taylor in 05 is depressing.

Lloyd drew with Taylor in their first PL meeting, but then got thrashed by him in their next two PL meetings [one of which was the final]. Taylor also thrashed him in the final of the 05 Grand Prix.

They didn't meet in the UK Open because Lloydy got turfed out by Mason, or the Masters of Darts because Lloyd went out in the group stage. As already established, Taylor lost to Part in that year's Matchplay, so they didn't meet in that event either.

So that is 3 wins and 1 draw for Taylor.