West Ham's last game of 2016 in disappointing style as Slaven Bilic’s side were beaten 1-0 by Premier League Champions Leicester City at King Power Stadium.
The result meant many Hammers left in a frustrated mood as the visitors controlled large portions of a match which could so easily have gone the other way. 60 per cent ball possession and 23 goal attempts show West Ham’s dominance but unfortunately one of last season’s best defences would not be breached. Instead, it was Islam Slimani’s 20th minute header which proved the difference.
Michail Antonio went closest for the Hammers in the first half when his volley cannoned into the crossbar on 40 minutes. Among 14 first half goal attempts by West Ham, Kasper Schmeichel denied a good Payet free-kick and the Dane was on hand to stop another Antonio strike too: this time from 25-yards out.
Antonio’s 5 attempts were the most by an individual player on both sides in the opening 45’ as the Beast went about trying to score his 16th Premier League goal this calendar year.
In fact, Antonio has been one of the most prolific English scorers this year with his 15 goals bettered only by Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe (19) and Tottenham’s Harry Kane (22). 11 of his goals in 2016 have been scored with his head alone, levelling the Premier League headed goals record set by Tim Cahill in 2010.
Elsewhere, Dimitri Payet has run the show in terms of goal assists in 2016. His 16 assists is the 5th highest in Europe and, by some margin, top in the Premier League. In fact, only he and Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen feature in Europe’s top 30 for goal assists from the Premier League.
To more broader statistics, and an annual league table shows that it has been a hugely encouraging 12 months for West Ham. For this calendar year alone, West Ham have picked up 55 points in 38 league games with 15 wins, 13 defeats and 10 draws: a record which would have them sit ninth in a 2016 Premier League Table. In eighth are current league champions Leicester City meanwhile the likes of Everton and Bournemouth, who have both impressed this season, sit below the Hammers.
Despite yesterday’s unfortunate defeat, the Hammers have certainly ended 2016 on an impressive note with 13 points picked up in six matches. So, here’s to making more positive stats in 2017…