Mark Hughes’ Stoke City are the next team to come under the microscope in our series of pre-season analysis articles for members.
We start by assessing the performance levels at the team level to look for any trends of improvement, before checking out their standout individuals ahead of the 2017/18 season. This includes an in-depth look at their likely key attacking target for the new campaign – Joe Allen.
Although they mirrored a total of 41 goals from the 2015/16 campaign last time out, Hughes’ men were hardly prolific – only the bottom five sides found the net on fewer occasions.
The Potters’ fell from ninth spot to thirteenth over the two seasons, though as the underlying numbers highlight, their threat inside the box was on the rise.