Wayne Mardle shares Van Gerwen issue: "My concern or maybe his concern for himself is his B-game doesn’t win"

According to Wayne Mardle, it’s clear: playing below Michael van Gerwen’s top level is no longer enough to consistently contend for the biggest titles. The Englishman notes that the current world number four is losing ground compared to his dominant years.

Van Gerwen, who hasn’t won a ranking major since the 2022 Players Championship Finals, faces a pivotal period. Heading towards the PDC World Darts Championship of 2027, he risks a sharp drop in the rankings. With big prize money to defend after strong runs at Alexandra Palace and the World Matchplay final, the Dutchman could even slide towards twentieth.

The numbers underline the dip. Over the past two seasons, Van Gerwen has won just one nightly round in the Premier League Darts, where he currently sits fourth. Success on the floor is also lacking: he hasn’t reached a Players Championship final for a year and a half, and last season he missed the Players Championship Finals for the first time in his career.

Mardle, a former pro and now analyst, points above all to the gap between Van Gerwen’s top level and his off days. “My opinion on Michael van Gerwen is when he plays his A-game he wins. He doesn’t win as often as he used to,” said ‘Hawaii 501’ to Oche. "His A-game would always be enough. Now sometimes it is not. My concern or maybe his concern for himself is his B-game doesn’t win. His C-game just has no chance of winning."

The Englishman did see positives at the World Series Finals. “When he played well in the World Series Finals he was good. He was near the top of his game.

“Not the 110 average Michael van Gerwen but the 102 average. If he can do that constantly again and again then he will get back there.

According to Mardle, the solution isn’t just about rediscovering his absolute peak, but about raising his baseline. “I still believe, and he believes this because we had a chat a few weeks ago, that he knows his A-game wins.

“He feels that, and that is still important. But he feels his B-game is not good enough in spells, and that is the problem. Who plays their A-game? It doesn’t come out very often.”

Mardle’s conclusion is clear: if Van Gerwen wants to be a regular title contender again, he must above all lift his ‘off days’ to a higher standard. Only then can he match the absolute world elite again.