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A major talking point of the EPL this campaign has been the drop of goals scored in open-play scenarios and how teams are netting more from dead-ball situations as an alternative.

Looking at scoring methods to the initial 11 matches the prior season, we see a drop of 39 goals in open-play and an increase of 26 from set-plays and spot-kicks, giving us 13 fewer overall.

Examining overall statistics, efforts on goal clubs are making show a remarkable 370 fewer in open-play than this time last season.

Even with the significant rise in dead-ball scores, records show only two additional shots produced from them excluding penalties, showing the proficiency sides have been at finding ways to net from dead-ball situations.

Goal Averages Tell the Tale

The 301 goals notched in the first 110 fixtures up to now works out at 2.74 goals per game, if maintained for the whole season could be the smallest for since 2020-21, from five seasons ago (2.69 average).

But just under 200 goals scored in open play equates to 1.78 each match and is heading to be the lowest for 16 seasons, back in 2009-10 (1.76 per game).

2009-10 additionally represents the only Premier League campaign to experience goals scored more frequently from non-penalty set-pieces than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 per fixture (0.79 per game).

Which Teams Are Most Responsible?

When it comes to scoring from open-play, Wolves have recorded by far the biggest decrease, scoring only four in 11 matches, 10 fewer than at this stage the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolverhampton, the Premier League's decline in open-play scoring is predominantly a London thing, with five out of the capital's seven sides scoring a minimum of five goals fewer from open-play than the prior season.

Honestly, this is mainly because their scoring numerous goals at the start of the previous campaign as opposed to their genuine struggle to find the net in open-play this campaign.

Conversely City have recorded the most significant jump, with nearly all of their 23 scores so far coming in open-play.

Set-Piece Success

Comparing clubs that came up with the relegated sides they replaced. Play-off champions Sunderland have netted an additional three goals in open play than Southampton achieved in matchday 11 en route to the drop last season.

In terms of scoring from dead-ball situations (aside from penalties), Arsenal and the Blues have seen the largest rise, with both sides compensating for the five less scores that they've netted in open play with identical figures from dead-ball chances.

United have recorded two times more scores from set-pieces as they did in the first 11 matches the previous campaign ahead of the manager assumed control, while the Black Cats again prove more effective at netting than the similar-colored team they replaced.

Man City seem unaware of the message about netting additional goals from set-plays, as they've netted a reduction of three than the previous campaign, like Forest, even if that might be down to the altered approach they've attempted to adopt.

General Tendencies

Six clubs – the Gunners, Chelsea, the Cottagers, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – have been this term's top trend-setters by scoring fewer goals from open play and increased from set-pieces, while Man City represent the unique club to defy the pattern up to now by performing the complete reverse.

It will be fascinating to observe if clubs continue to rely so heavily on set-plays as the campaign progresses or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and commence converting increased totals in open play also.