Arsenal's strength in set-piece situations has resulted in criticism from many fans and pundits, with some claiming their playing style is "boring". However, Gunners star Piero Hincapie defended their strategy in the buildup to the game. "We pay attention to the details. Our set-piece strength is talked about all over Europe. That’s the result of daily training with our set-piece coach, Nico Jover," Hincapie stated. He added, "That sounds annoying, but the results mean that every one of us is eager to score from a corner or a free kick.
"The most important thing for me is that we are successful and don’t do anything illegal in the process. You can’t always win beautifully."