The Hammers enjoyed some comfortable early possession in midfield but posed little direct threat and the kind of cunning invention typified by their manager Gianfranco Zola as a player.

BBC: Yossi Benayoun

Their defenders are steady, placing a priority on holding their line, while their attacks usually favor direct passes into the attacking third over the kind of possession-heavy, short touch-passing that Barcelona has made fashionable.

WSJ: English Premier League Soccer: The London Clubs Aren't Dead Yet