Surprising stats show Liverpool now play more long balls than Stoke

West Ham are enjoying life under Slaven Bilic so far you'd imagine.

Away wins over Liverpool and Arsenal and their first home win earlier this week has West Ham looking good early on in the  Premier League campaign. The fans also seem to be enjoying the 'new style' under the Croat, but perhaps the fashion in which West Ham are getting results isn't that dissimilar to what Sam Allarydyce was doing and getting hammered for, pardon the pun. The Mirror have put together a table of the teams that go route one more than most so far this season, and there is little surprise that the future tenants of the Olympic Stadium have been going for distance. According to the stats West Ham have attempted 174 long balls, just three more than their closest rivals in the hoof stakes, Watford. The figures do not include long passes and the numbers are based on balls 'played into a zone and not towards a particular player. Sunderland come in at third on 149, while it goes to show the transformation of Stoke under Mark Hughes that the Potters are rated below even Liverpool and Chelsea in attempts to knock it long. Also hands up who would have guessed Arsenal play it long the least of any sides. Well done all of you.