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One of the biggest stories of the EPL season so far concerns the decline of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way teams are netting more from set-pieces instead.

Comparing how goals have been scored to the initial 11 matches last season, we see a drop of 39 scored in open play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, leading to 13 less altogether.

If we look at overall statistics, shot attempts teams are taking show a staggering 370 fewer in open play than at this stage last time out.

Regardless of the significant rise in set-play finishes, records show a mere two extra attempts generated from these situations outside of penalties, demonstrating the efficiency clubs are at discovering methods to score from dead-ball chances.

Scoring Rates Tell the Tale

Over 300 goals recorded in 110 games up to now works out at 2.74 scores each match, which if it continued for the entire campaign could be the smallest for since 2020-21, since 2020-21 (2.69 average).

Yet merely under 200 goals scored in open play averages out 1.78 each match and is tracking to be the lowest for 16 seasons, since 2009-10 (1.76 average).

That campaign is also the sole English top-flight campaign to experience scoring at a higher rate from non-penalty set-pieces than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 each match (0.79).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

When it comes to goals scored from open-play, Wolves have recorded the most significant decline, scoring just four in 11 matches, 10 less than at this stage the previous campaign.

Outside of Wolves, the Premier League's drop in open-play scoring is very much a London thing, with five of the London's seven clubs netting a minimum of five fewer goals from open play than the prior season.

Honestly, this is mainly because them scoring many goals at the early stages of last season instead of them having difficulty to convert in open-play this campaign.

Conversely Manchester City have recorded the most significant jump, with almost every one of the 23 they've scored to date arriving in open-play.

Set-Piece Success

Comparing clubs that came up with the teams that went down they replaced. Play-off champions Sunderland have scored an additional three goals in open play than the Saints managed in their first 11 games en route to the drop last season.

When it comes to scoring from dead-ball situations (excluding penalties), the Gunners and the Blues have experienced the largest rise, with the two clubs compensating for the five fewer goals that they've netted in open-play with identical figures from dead-ball chances.

Man United have recorded two times more goals from set-plays as they managed in matchday 11 last season prior to their coach took over, while Sunderland again are more successful at netting than the club they replaced they superseded.

Manchester City seem unaware of the memo about scoring more from set-pieces, because they've scored three less than last season, as have Nottingham Forest, though that might be down to the altered approach they're working to install.

General Tendencies

Six sides – Arsenal, the Blues, Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs and the Hammers – represent this term's leading trend-followers by scoring fewer scores from open play and more from set-plays, while Man City represent the unique club to defy the pattern so far by doing the complete reverse.

It will be interesting to watch if sides carry on to depend greatly on set-plays as the campaign progresses or if they regain their all-round creativity and begin scoring additional scores in open play as well.