UK Main Event Contenders

In 9 days the UK's best 64 PES players will descend on Wembley Stadium for this years UK PES Grand Finals. Months of competition have led to this and they will all fight it out for thousands of pounds worth of prizes.

Ahead of this years finals I caught up with a few of the main contenders to get their views on the biggest PES tournament in the UK. Trying to uncover how they prepare for such an event and try and get you an insight into their successful formations.





Name:Farhad Shah
Age: 19
Rank: 1

Best Achievements this year:
Winning London event twice, Winning Manchester event twice including a £500 event, Winning Reading event, finishing runner up in NvS, runner up in London and Reading once

How are you feeling going into the Finals?
I feel confident right now. There's a few adjustments I need to make after the latest squad updates but generally I've been in good form since the turn of the year

How do you prepare for the finals?
Try and practice a couple of weeks before the event. For me it's important to work on your flaws as a player so you can only improve. I have had a man sent off in my last 2 major events that has prevented me from winning so I need to make sure it doesn't happen a third time

What team will you play as?
Brazil

What is your formation and how will you set up?




GK: CESAR
LB: ALVES
RB: MAICON
CB: JUAN
CB: LUCIO
DMC: GILBERTO
CMC: MELO
AMC: BAPTISTASS: KAKA (RIGHT SIDE)
SS: ROBINHO (LEFT SIDE)
CF: FABIANO

If you could change/add one thing to PES 2011 what would it be?
Smooth online play

Who do you think will win UK Finals ?
I think it's between me, Lengjay and Mclean. We've all been there and done it before so we know what it takes. There'll be players out there that will view me as the favourite because I'm ranked number one but for me it's important to focus on your own game and be as consistent as possible

Cesc

Name: Seerwan
Age: 17
Rank 2

Best Achievements this year?

Winning North v South of course, especially in the manner I did, beating all the regional finalists after qualifying from a league, and coming down from 2-0 down is also sweet. I doubt it will be topped, it was a relief aswell in a way that it just cemented me up there with achievement of great players like Marko, Rob and Jacky who won NvS or equivalents (Coventry), and it proved to myself that I had the minerals to win a big event. I ain’t saying I’ve hit their levels, I really doubt I ever will, but a great feeling for sure.


How are you feeling going into the Finals?
Looking to enjoy it and win of course haha, I feel good. I’ll do my best, if I win then terrific, if I don’t, then it wasn’t to be. Lots of big competitors, who are just as good, if not better than me, so I just have to be at the top of my game, and the best way to do that is to wait until the day comes and take it game by game. It's going to be a fun day for sure at Wembley!


How do you prepare for the finals?

As long as I have a formation set in stone, then it’s just about playing a few games to keep sharp and that, maybe a few games online, however I really do think the best practise is offline, as I find players and teams to be more effective for me offline than online. I don't have a formation yet for Brazil, so I guess I might have to practise more than I want. Getting the formation is important, but equally on the day you have to be able to produce at crucial stages.


What team will you play as?

Brazil I think. It was a definite before the update, having Diego and Ronaldinho occupying the midfield positions was just sublime, perfect for me as I like to do alot of 1-2s. Pato was a class CF. Fabiano is a decent substitute for Pato, but Diego and Ronaldinho were big big losses as I hate playing with midfielders who can’t pass well. I like a Xavi/Alonso/ Fabregas player in my team, and Diego was that for me, whilst Ronaldinho was the same, just in a more advanced role. Who knows, I will try Argentina, but it’s likely to be Brazil.


What is your formation and how will you set up?

Note: the white arrows, means player mentality is set to attack minded
Blue arrow means normal
Dark blue arrow means Defence minded.



GK Cesar
RB Maicon
LB Dani Alves
CB Lucio
CB Thiago Silva
DM Gilberto Silva
CM Melo
AMF Elano
SS Kaka
SS Robinho
CF Fabiano

I'm not 100% yet on formation for finals, so instead I'll show you my formation which won me NvS. As you can see it's a 4-3-3 with defenders pushed up and forwards as deep as possible. This makes it easier to play passes as players are in closer unison, and also, it just means the pitch is smaller. It can be risky on the break as the defence are high up, but I've always liked having it compact like Barcelona. There is a rhombus shape starting from the RB, DM, CM and AMF and that I purposely put in for quick passing between the players to counter attack.

If you could change/add one thing to PES 2011 what would it be?
Take those repulsive grandad turns out of the game. They are professional footballers for heaven's sake!

Who do you think will win UK Finals ?
I reckon the rest will go fishing for replies or give out a generic response to this question. I'll be blunt, Irfy's going to knock everyone cold.[/CENTER]

Those are just a few of the main contenders, also in the running will be last years Rankings Champion LengJay, prolific online winner The_Greek and highly successful Scot Jonny Nelson.