With Dimitri Payet now but a memory many Hammers have been hoping that Manuel Lanzini might step up and fill the creative void.
However you might be surprised to learn that the diminutive Argentinian is not West Ham’s most creative current player this term.
With Payet having left for Marseille last month, it’s the Hammers’ robust wideman Michail Antonio who narrowly pips Manuel Lanzini to the title of the club’s most creative player.
Antonio is West Ham’s top-scorer so far this season with eight goals in just 24 Premier League games, and also has the most assists of any current player with three.
According to football statistics aggregator Opta, Lanzini has created two more chances than Antonio at 27 but has failed to make as much of a numerical impact.
Antonio has averaged 2.5 dribbles per match and has drawn fouls more often than his Argentine colleague – at 1.4 to 0.7 per game.
Antonio also manages shots on target more often than Lanzini with 2.6 shots on goal per game compared to Lanzini’s 1.6.
In reality the only statistic that will matter to Slaven Bilic and his men come the end of the season will be their points tally – and both Antonio and Lanzini will be key to making it the happiest reading possible.
