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One of the biggest stories of the Premier League this campaign concerns the decline of scoring in open-play scenarios and how clubs are netting increasingly from set-plays as an alternative.

Looking at how goals have been scored to the initial 11 matches the prior season, we see a drop of 39 scored in open play and an increase of 26 from set-plays and spot-kicks, resulting in 13 less overall.

If we look at the bigger picture, efforts on goal sides are producing reveal a remarkable drop of 370 in open play than this time last time out.

Even with the big increase in dead-ball scores, there have actually been a mere two extra shots created from these situations excluding penalties, indicating how effective clubs are at discovering methods to convert from set-pieces.

Goal Statistics Tell a Story

301 total goals notched in the first 110 fixtures to date works out at 2.74 scores each match, if maintained for all 38 games could be the lowest for half a decade, since 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

Yet merely 196 goals coming in open play equates to 1.78 each match and is on course to be the least for 16 seasons, since 2009-10 (1.76 average).

That campaign also marks the unique EPL season to see scoring at a higher rate from non-penalty set-pieces than this season's rate of 0.77 per game (0.79 per game).

Which Sides Are Most Responsible?

Regarding scoring from open-play, Wolves have seen the most significant decline, netting a mere four in 11 games, a reduction of 10 than this point the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolverhampton, the EPL's decline in open play goals is predominantly a London phenomenon, with half of the city's seven teams netting at least five fewer goals from open play than last season.

Honestly, this is primarily due to their scoring numerous goals at the beginning of last season as opposed to them really struggling to score in open-play the current term.

Conversely Man City have seen the largest rise, with almost every one of their 23 scores to date arriving in open play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

Looking at the promoted teams with the teams that went down they replaced. Play-off winners the Black Cats have scored an additional three scores in open play than the Saints managed in matchday 11 on their way to the drop the previous campaign.

Regarding goals scored from dead-ball situations (aside from spot-kicks), Arsenal and Chelsea have recorded the biggest increase, with each team replacing the five fewer scores that they've produced in open play with the same number from dead-ball chances.

Man United have netted two times more scores from set-plays as they did in the 11 games the previous campaign before the manager took charge, while the Black Cats additionally are better at netting than the fellow red-and-whites that went down.

Man City don't seem to have got the trend about increasing scoring from set-plays, because they've scored a reduction of three than the previous campaign, similar to the Reds, even if this may result from the tactical shift they have tried to implement.

League-Wide Trends

Six sides – Arsenal, the Blues, the Cottagers, the Magpies, Tottenham and the Hammers – represent this season's top trend-setters by recording fewer scores from open-play and more from set-plays, while City represent the only side to defy the pattern so far by achieving the contrary.

It will be fascinating to watch if sides continue to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they regain their general attacking flair and begin converting more goals in open play as well.