I didn't watch that so fair enough. He's a different man when he's playing Taylor though. He hasn't believed he can beat him for ages now.

Remember when he lost a final to Taylor earlier this year (the Matchplay I think but I'm not 100% sure) after a great tournament, and was asked "Is the real Barney back?"

His resigned response was, "I was already the second best and I'm the second best here." No belief when it counts.

REALLY. ERR World Championship final 2007. 3-0 down to Taylor, then battles back to win sudden death play off would suggest otherwise

He believed he was the best player in the world then. By his own admission one of his aims when he joined the PDC was to prove he was better than Taylor. He was sure he was, and in that final he played like it. It was amazing to watch.

However, self doubt has gradually crept in, and surely anyone who regularly watches darts can see that. When he's on fire he's really on fire, but when his head goes he struggles, and at times you get the feeling he's resigned himself to losing to Taylor before the match even starts. That's understandable for average players, but a Barney full of confidence and firing on all cylinders, a la 2007, has nothing to fear.

I'll be suprised if anybody apart from Taylor wins it. His nearest challengers are James Wade, Barney, Simon Witlock and Adiran Lewis IMO. I love watching Lewis play.

Also, how good is Co Stompe for entertainment value?

gary anderson should go well now he's adapted to the pdc circuit,tremendous scorer,taylor is the best ever thrower but i think a few cracks have started to appear this year and if someone gets into him in the earlier rounds he might not have it all his own way.

A darkhorse is Mark Webster, 33/1 at William Hills.

Thanks for clearing an argument up. I always thought Black Beauty was the dark horse. Its Whitlock who I think could win in outside Taylor & Wade.

Mark Webster

If you are backing webster get down to ladbrokes, 40/1 in there.

Adrian Lewis shouldn't even be put in the same sentence as the above. Whitlock has showed he has championship material by being a finalist in the PDC and the BDO tournament. Wade has shown his class and is a multiple major winner (yes, he did beat Lewis in the World GP earlier this year), and Barney, well, everyone knows about Barney.

Lewis doesn't have the darts, nor the mental agility to become a champion. He gets wound up easily (see the videos of him and Manley for instance) and despite him being a big scorer at times, he's terrible on his doubles. The only achievement he's ever had is finally beating Taylor on television to reach the final of the World GP, but Taylor was well off his game that night (averaging a mere 92) and when he got to the final, Wade beat him with a shocking 88 average).

I only included Lewis because of his win against Taylor but I see him as a threat. People also forget how old he is, I think he's 25 so he definitley has time on his side and alot of work and effort to put in. I do think Lewis will make the SF's.

Also, I've had a fiver on Mark Webster each way to reach the final with Ladbrokes after hearing yesterday on here that he was 40/1.

Surprised to see Beaton out, thought he was one of the better ones?

Sad to see how far Rafa has fallen that he must have left Inter now as he's playing against Phil Taylor in darts now. He's not very good at that either.