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One of the biggest stories of the EPL season so far has been the decline of goals scored in open-play scenarios and how sides are finding goals more from dead-ball situations as an alternative.

Comparing how goals have been scored to the first 11 games the prior season, we see 39 fewer goals in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, giving us 13 fewer in total.

If we look at overall statistics, the number of shots teams are taking have seen a staggering drop of 370 in open play than at this stage last time out.

Regardless of the significant rise in dead-ball scores, records show only two additional attempts generated from these situations outside of spot-kicks, showing the proficiency teams have been at discovering methods to net from set-pieces.

Scoring Rates Show a Story

Over 300 goals notched in the first 110 fixtures so far calculates at 2.74 goals per fixture, if this persists for the entire campaign would be the least for since 2020-21, since 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

Yet merely under 200 goals scored in open play equates to 1.78 each match and is on course to be the least for since 2009-10, since 2009-10 (1.76 average).

2009-10 additionally represents the only Premier League season to see scoring more often from set-plays excluding penalties than this season's rate of 0.77 each match (0.79).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

Regarding scoring from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced by far the biggest decline, scoring just four in 11 games, a reduction of 10 than at this stage the previous campaign.

Outside of Wolves, the EPL's fall in open-play scoring is predominantly a trend among London clubs, with half of the capital's seven sides recording at least five goals fewer from open play than last season.

Honestly, that's largely down to their scoring numerous goals at the beginning of last season as opposed to them having difficulty to find the net in open-play the current term.

Conversely City have seen the largest rise, with all but one of their 23 goals this season coming in open play.

Set-Piece Success

Comparing newly promoted sides with the teams that went down they took the place of. Sunderland Sunderland have recorded an additional three scores in open-play than Southampton did in their opening 11 matches on their way to the drop last season.

When it comes to scoring from set-pieces (excluding penalties), Arsenal and Chelsea have seen the most significant jump, with each team making up for the five less goals that they've netted in open-play with an equal amount from set-pieces.

Man United have netted double the number scores from set-plays as they did in matchday 11 last season ahead of their coach took over, while the Black Cats again prove more successful at netting than the similar-colored team they replaced.

Manchester City seem unaware of the trend about scoring more from set-pieces, as they've recorded three fewer than the previous campaign, like the Reds, even if this may result from the altered approach they're working to install.

League-Wide Trends

Six clubs – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham – are this term's top trend-setters by netting less goals from open-play and increased from set-plays, while Man City represent the sole team to buck the trend so far by doing the complete reverse.

It remains to be seen to watch if clubs persist to place such emphasis on set-plays as matches continue or if they regain their general attacking flair and commence netting more goals in open-play as well.