Matt is quite clearly the best male dancer in the competition

He could/should perform much simpler routines and still cruise to the final

Aliona thinks complication is the key - it isn't - 'difficulty' does not make a dance

The judges have pointed out time and time over that the routines are toooooooooooooo manic

As pointed out, the dances are just too technical

The thing that has been left far too late for Matt is that this is allllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Alionas fault and the judges should of been wagging their finger at her - not Matt - he's just doing 'precicely' what he's been told to do - and he's doing it with perfection

EDIT: I'm not Matt fan - I always wanted Kara to win - this is just an observation

Think the judges comments were directed toward Aliona but Matt is the person being judged.

However if you look at her face during the comments you can see she does not grasp this. Where poor Matt was devastated.

Well they should've specifically named her (their not afraid to name other pros mistakes) - because she aint gettin it

Yep.

After the mauling she got last year I am surprised they asked her back.

To me she is very, very poor.

I thought one of the judges' main criticisms last night was that the routine was too basic - i.e. simple - which was a comment directed firmly at Aliona.

You will get slain for creating yet another Aliona bashing thread. But I agree with you.

Actually what really baffled me was - why were they trying to do the salsa to a tune more suited to the cha cha cha?

She really doesn't get it. She is now going out of her way to annoy Len. Silly girl. That wasn't a salsa. The jive was no jive and the AS not AS.

She really is a useless choreographer.

I've said elsewhere I can't decide if Aliona is too thick or too arrogant to realise she needs to change her choreography.

I feel sorry for Matt. He is a very talented man & works very hard for Aliona.

Just watched it over again on iplayer. Aliona just kept looking at Matt, as if to imply: Nevermind you were slated, ignore the judges, with absolutely no clue the comments were actually directed at HER. They hated the gyrations, which is due to the choreography. Salsa having on the basics, again due to choreography. Matt's salsa movements are not small enough, and Aliona said she had to get him 'in the zone', whatever that means.

The only thing directly ascribed to Matt was he went off time at one point in the salsa, which, of course, was Matt's fault.

I think Aliona has it all - she's TOO thick *AND* TOO arrogant to realise her folly.

Which is why the judges should address her specifically - then she might finally 'get it'

"Aleona, what were all those gyrations about!"

is what they should be saying

Another thing is that after barage of comments the judges dont acknowledge/say that Matt is quite clearly an exceptional dancer

His dances are really entertaining. Aliona must be teaching him wrong though somehow.

Nope, disgree with you. Len said Matt is a good dancer, Alesha also said that. Even Bruno also said that. Don't agree with you. I am surprised you didn't pick that up.

I agree. The judges need to speak directly to her in the same way they have to other pros (e.g. Brendan was a doughnut!). She really doesn't seem to get it and Matt is caught between a rock and a hard place.

After watching it again on iplayer, Matt was completely deflated after those comments. Some here said they thought Matt was going to hit Len for saying what he said, I thought that was completely uncalled for as I didn't get that vibe from Matt at all.

Seriously, I have had enough of Aliona. Please, spare us the torture of seeing possibly Matt being humiliated by Aliona, esp. it being likely a horrific showdance ala Turkey Dance, someone spike Aliona's food today so that she'll be locked away in the toilet tonight!

Strange thing is, on DWTS Len and Bruno do address the pros on the flaws in the routines. Especially Derek Hough got slated for incorporating not enough content in the routines. As a result he has changed his attitude in the last series and sticks more to the "standard". I wonder why they don't do it on Strictly.

Matt was down and out after the comments. For a moment I thought he was going to quit. He was so defeatist in the interview with Tess. The dance was bad, but Matt was not the one to blame.

I certainly didn't get that vibe from Matt and they much have been watching a completely different show to me.

I hate to say this but if Matt does get through to the final, I can see their show dance being on a par with the Turkey Dance. Aliona won't be able to control herself when it comes to a free style. I want him to get through to the final, but in some ways I am dreading it because of Aliona.

No please, fingers-up-arse showdances must be banned on Strictly.

They have done in the past and I just don't understand why they are holding back now when it really matters. In fact, Aliona was given some feedback for one of the routines she danced with Rav last year.

Actually Len started off by saying to Matt......You have been so good through this competition....you have been at a constantly high standard.....

I am not a Matt fan for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with dancing and this competition, so I can acknowledge that he has the potential to be one of the greats but he has been seriously let down by Aliona and I think if she hadnt been with such a popular and naturally gifted mover they would have been gone weeks ago.

In her coreography and attitude to the judges she is telling Matt that it doesnt matter what 'they' think it only matters what the public think, she probably led him to believe that Salsa was fantastic and it came back to bite her on the bum and Matt now thinks its his dancing thats at fault when actually it isnt.

He will definately be in the final..........if anything that tirade will have ensured it......if they go on to win Aliona will believe that she can do no wrong.......which actually I think she already thinks. Shame Matt wasnt with one of the Pros that could have produced some dances as beautiful and understated as some of Artems coreography.

I'm afraid I blame Aliona as well for last nights salsa. The choreography was dreadful. Most of her dances have been over complicated and too manic. It's a real shame for Matt, who is clearly the best male celeb there. I think if he'd have been partnered with somebody else he would have been much better off. I do agree that Aliona didn't seem to realise the fault lay with her. I'm not criticising their partnership as such, because I think they get on well, but Aliona's routines haven't shown Matt off in the way they should have done.

What a lovely post. I know you don't like Matt as I have read you saying that from the beginning so for you to say these things is very welcome as sometimes I think non-Matt fans think we fans are blaming Aliona because we can't accept Matt is not very good.

I would be the first to admit that he is not perfect (who is? ) but I do think he could be so much better than we have seen and that always frustrates me no matter who the celeb is.

I also love Kara (and would be quite happy if she won) but imagine if we could see her potential but Artem choreographed wacky crazy routines instead of the beautiful, elegant ones we have seen. We would be up in arms. It is just the same with Matt.

Artem nearly went off the rail (with those illegal lifts) in the beginning but seemed to catch himself in time and reign himself in. And then, perfecto!