Ali & Brian - Tango and Samba
Chris & Ola - Waltz and Samba
Laila & Anton - American Smooth and Salsa
Ricky & Natalie - Foxtrot and Cha Cha Cha

I reckon it will be like last week. A competent dancer vs a good dancer. I can't really see Ricky being in the bottom 2 again so i think it will be Ali vs Laila or Chris this week.

I think Ali and Brian have got the worst 2 dances, so it could be their week to struggle, however if they manage a half way decent performance I think they will top the leader board so probably won't be in the bottom 2.
I predict Laila and Ricky, with Ricky to stay.

Laila vs Ricky

Until we've seen a bit more training I think it'll be hard to say. If Ali does a couple of technically competent but not fitting the mood dances she'll be 2nd or 3rd on the leader board and could be in trouble. If Ricky suffers from a lack of training time he could find himself down the board again. Laila seems likely to do a horrible latin but wonderful ballroom - nasty judges' comments could see her safe. Chris is a bit of an unknown - if he comes out and gives an entertaining performance, chances are he'll top the public vote. Whether he's safe obviously depends on how the voting goes elsewhere.

Really tricky to call this week but if I had to guess at the mo I'm going to go for the shock and say Ali and Ricky.

It'll be Ali VS Chris

I feel much the same Claire - and I think if this was the case, then I think it would be Ricky to go (although I would actually like him to win!) - I just can't see him staying in this week, somehow.

I thought that Ricky is suffering from flu.

Hope its Ali and Ricky

I am hoping one of these days that Len will just stand up and walk out when he has to choose between his favs.

Think it is more likely to be Ricky and Laila.

may be wrong but I interpreted his Twitter comment "got man-flu" to be a wry joke about him not being well - I understood he had a vomiting bug, rather than flu? As I say, could be wrong but that is how I read it.

Between Ali and Ricky I do think Ricky would lose out - his mistakes in routines and lack of improvement (although he's still very good obviously) would likely count against him.

They'd almost certainly get rid of Ricky - a Ricky vs Chris final where Ricky had been in 3 dance-offs in a row prior to the final would be a farce. An Ali vs Chris final where she'd been in 2 in a row, marginally less so.

I'll take a punt at Ali vs Laila.

Ricky -v- Laila. Ricky to stay.
Being a Chris fan I wish it was Ali -v- Ricky but I don't think that will happen.

I agree - will be fair! and say I think she has the edge now as the better dancer - until last week I didn't think so but I thought she did a brilliant job with the Charleston - was nice to see her kooky performing side coming out.

I do still think though that Ricky is the better natural dancer - I like Natalie very much but I feel a lot of the mistakes have come (and yes they are there) from the choreo often being too fast and him not being quite good enough to complete each figure at speed before moving into the next - just because you are a lovely natural dancer doesn't mean that you can reach almost pro-standard quite yet! he is learning just like the others, and I wish she would tailor the choreo a little more to his natural capabilities so that he could feel more confident of being able to achieve the moves and then perform them, like other pros have done with their celebs.

This year, I am enjoying seeing a very natural dancer, though, despite the mistakes - and he appeals to me more as a person (what you can see from the VTs and edits, anyway!) - so this is why he is my preference over Ali. They are both clearly the better dancers left in the competition but he will be getting my vote, even though I feel he may go this week - the judges would quite rightly choose the person who is the better one in terms of both performance AND technicality, and currently Ali is edging it.

Ricky and Laila with Ricky to stay. I actually think Ricky is a better dancer than Chris but Cola seem very popular.

I'm an Ali and Brian fan so hope it's not them!

I am hoping for Ali v Ricky with Ali to stay.

My prediction is that Chris will finish bottom of the leaderboard and will fight it out with Laila.
I can see the judges getting rid of Chris in the dance off. The judges want Ali and Ricky in the final.

Don't expect me to be making coherent sense on the forums if this happens!!! I'll probably drowning in my own tears of rage and anger ...

x x x x x

I think it will be Ricky vs Laila.

Laila (who I think will be bottom of judges leaderboard) vs Ricky (who i reckon 2nd.) If it's Ali vs Chris I will be devestated!

I'm trying to restrain myself from speculating. Some of the options are too distressing to dwell on ...

All I think we can safely say is the producers, who will have access to the viewers' leaderboard, will brief the judges to try and negate our votes if at all possible. I don't dislike Ali and Brian but the bias displayed towards them in last week's VW spoke volumes. (About the judges, that is!)

Sorry to sound so cynical but the attempts at manipulation last year have left me rather jaded about this stage of the competition. I'd love to be surprised on Saturday but I'm not holding my breath ...

I will vote, however - even if it's a case of going down fighting!

That's the spirit Servalan! So will I, but I have been feeling very down today.

Isn't it depressing though that any enjoyment we get out of the actual dancing, and I'm sure there will be a lot this week, is overshadowed by this absolutely crazy system at this stage? It's completely wrong. This isn't a private contest for the judges to judge, it's for US!

The bottom two will be Chris & Ola and Anton & Laila with Anton & Laila winning the dance off.

Do you really think that happens. I've stupidly assumed it's done as fairly as possible. I'm actually wondering if they will carry this weeks scores over to next week and enforce a 3 couple final

Its Austin week all over again in my mind already so I agree with both of these- I hope that the judges pleasantly surprise me but hey ho if not next week I get a free saturday evening

After last year, yes, I do think it happens - and we have all the ammunition in place for it to recur: two contestants who are extremely popular with the judges but (it would seem) less so with the public; and two contestants who I think we can safely say are more popular than the judges' favourites yet appear to be marked less favourably, regardless of what they do (and the fact that we will be in a QF will inevitably be used as justification for some low scores for them ).

I would love there to be a three-couple final. I don't understand how the BBC can guarantee their new voting system ensures that anyone can be saved and also no couple is safe.

But, like I say, I will continue to vote for my faves. It ain't over yet!

nancy1975 - yes, totally. I would have thought the producers/judges would have learned their lesson from last year - but, knowing the BBC, somehow I doubt it ...