Masters 2021: 'There is no law against playing safe' - Foulds and White urge Un-Nooh to rein it in

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh must curb his attacking enthusiasm if he is to make it as a top-level snooker player, according to Eurosport's Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.

Un-Nooh is popular with snooker viewers for his brisk style of play, which was on display as he rattled off three straight frames in the first round of the Masters against Stuart Bingham to go from a 5-1 deficit to 5-4.

His hot streak came to a halt in the 10th frame, with Bingham eventually winning the encounter. His performance left Foulds and White baffled in the Eurosport studio after the match.

White said: "It's annoying. It's a bit like Jack Lisowski. Me and Neal were so impressed with him in his last couple of tournaments, maybe he's turned a corner a bit.

"But with Un-Nooh, he plays in the Q House in Darlington, he plays lots of good players. There's a good coach there, Mike Dunn, I don't know if he works with him. But he needs to make it easer for himself. His natural instinct is that, once he starts winning the easy way, he will zone in a bit, he will play his shots with a bit more value.

At the moment, he's playing too many shots with no value at all.

When asked whether he would fancy the job of coaching Un-Nooh himself, Foulds added: "I wouldn't know where to start with him. He can only win in that one way.

"Jack Lisowski is a better player than Thepchaiya. He beat Mark Selby in the tournament before Christmas. Lisowski might have turned the corner, he's not here this week.

"I don't think you put someone like Thepchaiya against Mark Selby. He'd have to knock everything in to beat him. Certain players he's not going to beat. I don't know what you'd do with him, I just like to enjoy watching him.

"He's always going to frustrate you. He's not quite going to get there, play brilliantly, but not get over the line. That seems to be what he's all about.

There is no law against playing safe, you are allowed to.