Strictly Come Dancing / Alan Dudman / 03 December 2009 /

It's crunch time on the dancefloor but with Ricky having big problems of it, who does Alan Dudman expect to take the iniative this weekend?

I''ve got back my cuban heels and tight fitting shirts from Andy Richmond this week, in readiness for the last four in Strictly. It's quarter-final time, it's survival of the fittest and it's double trouble this Saturday at 6:40pm.

With the final now a nostril hair away, the remaining dancers have got a real tough week before the live programme. With two dances to perform, it means two new routines to learn, and it really has to be two lots of training.

It has been a tough week for contestants, notably long-time favourite Ricky Whittle. My ante-post nibble has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. The public abandoned him after news filtered out that the heart-throb was recently freed on bail following an alleged assualt. His price is now at a more sensilbe [2.52] having drifted to about [4.00]. It has also been reported he missed a training day due to man-flu. A day's training is so crucial at this moment in the competition, especially with two lots of dances.

Ali Bastian is now trading as favourite to win, she's [2.32] although her scares have again been of the injury type. A sprained ankle in training before last Saturday's sublime Charlestown however didn't stop her putting in a beautifully quirky dance.

It's been a fascinating market throughout, as whenever Whittle makes a mistake, Ali capitalises.
The market tends to over-react to most things, and these two have been flip-flopping like a
errrrr pair of flip flops.

Ricky worries me looking to the weekend. The training angle is nagging away at my mind, and he will have to make up some hefty hours for his two dances. The last time his training was interrupted (due to a meaty storyline in Hollyoaks), his routine wasn't as sharp and crisp. Plus, I am still irked by the fact he can be brilliant and make one mistake. The one mistake has to stop now.

However, don't be fooled by that rock 'n' roll effort last weekend. The bias clearly was with
those doing the Charlestown. We get up and move on. Although his shock appearance in
the bottom two seven days ago clearly has resonated with layers - who have him about [2.42] for the bottom two this time round.

Ali and Brian go with the samba and the tango. Bastian is safe with the tango, although her arms are better suited to the foxtrot. The samba meanwhile is the toughest dance of them all....the BEAST. It needs to be dramatic and explosive. Ali has done elegant, kooky but not dramatic. Bruno has been wanting her to let go all series, now she needs to land the samba and go wild.

The market this week has Laila in trouble. She trades at [1.61] favourite for the 12th elimination. She tackles the salsa and the American smooth on Saturday, and the presence of the salsa means she is about the right price. She'll have no problem with the ballroom, but her Latin is poor. Training clips this week have shown Anton flinging her all over the place, which isn't great. Neither is Mr du Beke at the dance, it's only his second salsa.

Chris Hollins and the delightful Ola Jordan are strutting samba and the waltz. His samba will be extremely quick, and one I think should suit. His waltz in week one netted him 26, and he needs to improve massively on that to be a player here. But he could be a potential spoiler.

Overall a really tricky week, with doubts about Ricky and whether or not Ali can give us
some phwoarrrr. However, the strongest options are that Laila has gone as far as she can,
and the dreadful Anton du Beke is the worst pro in the comp too. She'll come unstuck with
the salsa, and exit strategies should be based on her.

Suggested plays: Back Laila Rouas in 12th elimination @ [1.61]
Back Laila/Ricky bottom two combo @ [3.80]

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: