Seeing how the last instances of fun have just been shut down here, and everyone's looking at classic matches, let's look through the greatest game ever, while adding commentary and having a look at the obvious mistakes made by everyone leg by leg:
Immediately - That orange shirt might be the worst thing Phil's ever worn.
Set 1, leg 1 - Dave Lanning mentioning averages in the very first leg, sure Barney's had a real poor opener, but come on now.
Set 1, leg 3 - Wasn't really the done thing back then, but when Barney misses the treble looking at 96, he's really got to go double-double from there, it's not like he doesn't like D18.
Set 2, leg 1 - It's a minor one, but I hate Phil going on 20's on 271 there, a standard ton can't leave a shot, going 19's gives you the bull option to leave 170 if you hit four in the first two darts. It'd have needed something really special from Barney to punish, but it could have happened.
Set 2, leg 2 - Strong argument that with Barney on 167, he should have gone bull last dart on 101 left, then again it looked a very nice lie for Phil's throw so it doesn't seem to be a big error.
Set 2, leg 3 - No clue why Barney didn't switch to something other than 17 to leave something other than 305 - an 18 last dart leaves a much nicer 304. 305's a bastard score to leave a finish with, unless you start on bull. That said, Phil then says hold my beer, and hits a straight ton on 262. With Barney needing 305, I've seen worse, but it's so easily avoidable.
Set 3, leg 1 - When Phil missed the second dart at double 5 low, rather than chucking the last dart away and busting, with the way his darts lie, I think he's got to go for a single one to leave double two.
Set 3, leg 2 - Maybe not the most pressing thing with Barney waiting on 147, but if I was Phil there on 85 I'd have gone bull first dart - 3-D16 if you hit, if you miss and hit 25, then a nice high dart in the big twenty leaves you a glorious marker at tops. Simple case of going for bull early, but very specifically a Phil thing here. Was interesting to see him go the 19's route for the Mensur before Mensur was even a thing.
Set 3, leg 3 - Phil could easily have left a shot on 306 there, if he goes 19's first and if you premise that he hits two trebles, then with 192 left he can go bull to put a bit of doubt in Barney's mind, or if he likes the lie, keep going and try to leave 135.
Set 3, leg 4 - More careless counting from Phil to go 20 first dart on 268. You simply can't do that, miss that and you need a treble last dart even if you switch and hit a treble on 18's. Then Phil does that stupid thing of going bull on 66. Barney's on 158 there at that stage so who cares, but I've yet to see anyone make any justification for that route.
Set 4, leg 1 - I've just noticed that Barney's advertising that postcode lottery ripoff/scam, no standards whatsoever. Waddell going on about the pulverisation in reference to averages, when Barney actually won the second set and drew the third on those metrics.
Set 4, leg 2 - Seeing a wider angle shot of the stage and I forget that the PDC's website used to be planetdarts.tv, I wonder if a certain current website could be done with passing off nowadays? Minor one again, and it's mitigated by that it looked a good lie, but Taylor staying on 20's after two in the single on 402 (he shanked it into the 1 but it's the same principle) would give Barney nine darts guaranteed at 341, which someone at his level would expect to do - and he was on a double after seven.
Set 5, leg 2 - Fairly standard not going 19's first on 306 from Barney, that's it. Waddell's changed from one trick bore into contradictory bore at this stage, going on about Barney not being able to chase Klaasen the previous year ad infinitum, then saying that's exactly what he's doing as soon as he wins a set.
Set 5, leg 3 - That's twice they've gone to Bobby George in the crowd, surely once is enough?
Set 5, leg 4 - The referee is asking the crowd for order, and they're not even doing the Yaya/Kolo Toure song? What's going on?
Set 5, leg 5 - Waddell going on about Alan Evans any time someone hits their first dart in the side of a treble is as tiring as any snooker commentator making reference to James Wattana whenever someone makes a tricky middle pocket pot. Barney going two big 18's on 86 after hitting a big 18 on the first dart with Phil not on a finish to deliberately leave double 16 is an interesting one, I don't hate it, but if you're not going to go for the bull, why not go T16 to leave D10 or T20 to leave D4?
Set 6, leg 1 - Taylor with a bit of a comedy miscount on the 167 out, after he misses the treble 19 and leaves 88 with a dart in hand, I'm pretty sure he didn't want treble 18 for double 17...
Set 7, leg 1 - I'd normally approve of Barney going in for bull when he did to leave 116, but that looked a glorious lie and he's almost certainly getting six darts, so staying on treble 20 looked alright. Needless to say, Phil says hold my beer and tries to fill up for a maximum going off of 305 to leave a bogey.
Set 7, leg 2 - Again, another argument that on 76 with two in hand, Barney should go double-double, it didn't matter though. Also a strong argument that if you don't, you don't go treble 12, but with Phil lurking on under 60 I don't think worrying about two singles not leaving you a double is the greatest concern here.
Set 7, leg 3 - Questionable switch to 19's from Phil to leave 304 after he hit the treble. He hit it, so it didn't matter, but a miss would have given Barney nine guaranteed at something in the mid 200's, which is end of set. He's getting nine anyway unless Phil hits six perfect, granted, but Taylor's perfectly capable of it, may as well leave a little doubt. 310's no different than 304 if you hit the treble anyway.
Set 8, leg 1 - Another avoidable leave of a bogey from Phil here, staying on twenties after hitting a treble on 305. Bull there Phil, bull. As was, you didn't get an outshot and allowed Barney in for free at 81 to break and get the whole match on throw.
Set 8, leg 2 - Anyone else think that last dart on the 121 combo from Phil looked incredibly rushed? Cost him potentially two darts at double if he came back, which he did (but only needed one).
Set 8, leg 3 - John Gwynne, for I think it's he, turned into the Churchill dog during Barney's 156 attempt.
Set 8, leg 5 - Classic miscount from Phil, switching to 19's rather than 18's after hitting fat 20 on 262. It didn't cost him, but still really, really dumb.
Set 9, leg 1 - We're sadly still at the stage where Russ doesn't give it the big one when Barney hit 177 to leave a single darter. Phil then proceeds to go bull with two in hand at 82, a cardinal sin as far as I'm concerned, sure he hits it, but don't do that please.
Set 9, leg 2 - Blink and you'll miss it, but there's some sad bastards in the crowd in the background when they pan to it that spell out S-K-Y as part of their card, similar to how Americans do in their sports, hoping that it'll help them get on TV. It worked, but not as they'd have liked.
Set 9, leg 3 - If you're not going to go aggressively at the treble on 68 with two in hand, then go much further into the big 18 so that if there's a little rush of blood, you hit the double and leave a nice double?
Set 10, leg 1 - Crowd, you're meant to boo when someone fucks up a nine dart attempt.
Set 10, leg 3 - Utterly baffling choice of cover from Phil to go for bull on the 167 out after hitting two singles in the first two darts. What's he hoping to achieve that going to 18's wouldn't?
Set 11, leg 1 - Phil bails himself out on 272 last dart by hitting the treble 19 when switching, but maybe look at bull to leave 167 or 142? At least, after leaving 135, he doesn't compound the error by going bull route with Barney only on the big fish, nicely setting up tops.
Set 11, leg 2 - STOP PANNING OVER TO BOBBY GEORGE, NOBODY CARES ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S CAREER HIGHLIGHT WAS LOSING THE FINAL OF THE WEAKEST BDO WORLDS EVER. And then the crowd don't boo the nine darter fail again. Jesus christ.
Set 11, leg 3 - Spotter somehow doesn't realise that Barney's going to stay on 19's when he checks down after hitting a single on 263. The only other targets he'd consider is 16 or bull, and both of those are in shot. These were simpler times where there's not so many permutations that people have worked out are optimal, or at least an option. Phil then immediately goes 20's first dart on 302, and I don't care about spotting mistakes.
Set 11, leg 4 - Phil fucks up counting on 306 again and leaves 169, putting zero pressure on Barney who hits a casual 140 to leave tops and cleans it up when he returns.
Set 11, leg 5 - Ah, those were the days you could smoke in venues. Now we can't even go into venues because there's a cold going around.
Set 12, leg 1 - A long way out, but Phil switching to 19 on the last dart of his second visit meant Barney knew he had nine darts to finish, touch confused when he got into a position to finish 96 he then stayed on 20's after hitting single first dart, when his MO previously was to go treble 12. Maybe he thought Phil wouldn't finish his low ton out so took a route to leave a double guaranteed?
Set 12, leg 2 - Straight ton from Phil on 265, never change. Of course Barney can't then leave a shot in the knowledge he'd get a chance guaranteed. John does pick up on Phil's habit of a lifetime, that's the insight we pay the big bucks for.
Set 12, leg 3 - My eyes started spinning like cash registers when Phil left 99, wondering what route he'd go for. 17-bull-miss is, well, interesting.
Set 12, leg 4 - Normally it's Phil that does this, but Barney staying up and not going down to 19's on his second visit to leave 349 gave Phil a tiny bit of breathing room. Then again, the situation would probably be as far over Phil's head as my usual efforts at double 18. Was Phil playing loops on that 37 out?
Set 12, leg 5 - Good old Mystic Gwynne - "all four legs have gone against the darts in this set" - Phil opens 174-140, Barney 58-44.
Set 13, leg 2 - Waddell still going on about Phil's average from twelve sets ago. Someone remind me how he became such a beloved commentator?
Set 13, leg 3 - Phil starts up top on 303. Who knows if he could have left himself 170 and denied Barney a shot at 136, which he just wired? Probably not as Taylor still wasn't on a shot as he made it six bad darts in a row.
Set 13, leg 5 - Like clockwork, Phil doesn't know what to do on 265, misses all the trebles but in an order where he couldn't leave a shot by sticking on 20 too long.
Set 13, leg 6 - Gwynne does make a marginal good point here in that Phil, in giving up the throw, is always going to chase in an extended deciding set, always serving to save the match. I think that's outweighed by the psychological pressure that you put on the other guy by forcing him to start quickly or get broken immediately, but it's an interesting enough point. I like the T17-tops-tops route on 131, as Barney hit the T17 last dart maybe he could have done it - then again, he missed two clear at tops for the title, so probably not.
Set 13, leg 7 - It's taken me this long to notice, but apart from the few Flintstones for obv reasons, I've seen nothing in the way of fancy dress. When did this phenomenon start exactly? Maybe Barney could have gone bull first on 81 to guarantee a dart at a big double?
Set 13, leg 8 - I know it'd have taken a maximum from Barney to leave an outshot, and the biggest one at that, but Phil could surely, after blocking 20's on 230, have gone bull and then engineered a finish? At least he had the gonads to not go 20-bull needing 70 with Barney on a shot later, which is nice to see.
Set 13, leg 9 - Gwynne commenting on the quiet as Phil lined up the last dart at fours in the previous leg. If Phil was taking that long these days, it'd be wooooaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh... great awareness from Barney on the approach to go bull to leave 80.
Set 13, leg 10 - Gwynne - "all legs have gone with throw, and so for the fifth time Phil's throwing to save his title". No. Spotter takes a moment to pan down to 19's with Barney on 303, then again with him probably being brought up on a decade and a half of Taylornomics it's understandable.
Set 13, leg 11 - Russ fucking up announcing who throws first for the bull. At least he remembered that we do bull up, unlike whoever it was in the Newton/Reyes game years later.
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