After Tottenham Hotspur all but crashed out of the Europa League last night, Stoke City have the chance to ensure that not all English pride is lost as they try to qualify out of the group stages.

They face Dinamo Kiev at the Britannia Stadium tonight – and Sport-locker.net bring you a preview with stats thanks to our pals at Castrol!

STOKE’S AERIAL BOMBARDMENT 

According to Castrol EDGE Performance analysis 34% of Stoke City’s attempts on goal in the Europa League this season have been headers. 

The English team have been put down for only posing a threat from set pieces and long balls, a view backed up by 14 of Stoke’s 41 shots in this season’s Europa League being headers. Only Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers have such a high percentage of headed attempts. 

However, Stoke seem to have found considerable success with their direct tactics in European competition and go into the 5^th match day on top of their group requiring only a draw to qualify for the next round. 

Europa League 11/12: Ratio of Headed Shots per Team 

                                                                                                                                                                      

In this season’s Europa League, Stoke City are the team that have attempted the fewest passes (1161) and have also attempted the fewest in the opposition half (624).  

On top of this the English team have had only 1888 touches of the ball in the 2011/12 Europa League group stages, by far the least of all the teams in the competition. 

Europa League 11/12: Least Passes and Touches 

 

Yet, despite having an approach to football that requires little technique, Stoke’s other aspects of the game are well honed and quite possibly the key to their success in this year’s Europa League. 

Tony Pulis’s side have launched more  successful long balls than any other team (70)  and also have the most precise long ball delivery (59.3%) in the 2011/12 Europa League.

To add to this, Stoke City also have the most precise crosses in the competition with 37.1% of them reaching team mates. 

Europa League 11/12: Long Balls and Crossing

 

 DINAMO NEED TO CONVERT THEIR OPPORTUNITIES 

According to Castrol EDGE Performance analysis, Dinamo Kiev have converted only 5.4% of their chances in the UEFA Europa League this season. 

Of the Ukrainian club’s 56 shots in the group stages only 3 have hit the back of the net, leaving them with a big task if they wish to qualify for the next round. 

Europa League 2011/12 – Lowest Shot Conversion Rates

 

 

Thus on average, Dinamo Kiev require 19 shots to score a single goal, a terrible ratio that only the competition’s minnows, AEK Larnaca and Slovan Bratislava, surpass. 

Europa League 2011/12 – Most Shots per Goal

 

If the Ukrainians wish to progress to the next round they will not only have to withstand Stoke’s aerial bombardment they will also have to convert the chances that come their way, something they haven’t managed in this season’s competition.

Who do you think will come out on top tonight? Let us know via the comments section below or on our Twitter and Facebook pages.