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A key narrative of the EPL this campaign is the reduction of scoring in open-play scenarios and how clubs are finding goals more from set-pieces as an alternative.

Looking at scoring methods to the first 11 games last season, we see 39 fewer scored in open play and an increase of 26 from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, resulting in 13 less in total.

Examining overall statistics, efforts on goal teams are taking have seen a remarkable drop of 370 in open play than this time last time out.

And despite the notable jump in dead-ball scores, records show only two additional attempts generated from these situations outside of penalties, demonstrating how effective clubs are at finding ways to convert from set-pieces.

Goal Averages Reveal the Tale

The 301 goals scored in 110 games so far averages out at nearly 2.75 goals each match, if maintained for all 38 games would be the lowest for since 2020-21, from five seasons ago (2.69).

Yet merely 196 goals coming in open play averages out 1.78 each match and is tracking to be the least for 16 years, back in 2009-10 (1.76 average).

That campaign also marks the unique EPL campaign to see scoring more frequently from non-penalty set-pieces than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 each match (0.79).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

In terms of goals scored from open play, Wolves have seen the most significant drop, netting just four in 11 matches, 10 less than at this stage last season.

Apart from Wolves, England's top division's fall in open-play scoring is largely a London thing, with half of the London's seven clubs recording five or more goals fewer from open play than the prior season.

In fairness, that's largely down to them netting many goals at the start of the previous campaign as opposed to them really struggling to score in open-play this campaign.

Conversely Man City have recorded the biggest increase, with almost every one of their 23 goals this season originating in open play.

Set-Piece Success

Looking at clubs that came up with the teams that went down they replaced. Play-off winners Sunderland have recorded three more scores in open play than Southampton did in matchday 11 on their way to the drop the previous campaign.

Regarding goals scored from set-pieces (aside from penalties), the Gunners and Chelsea have seen the most significant jump, with both sides compensating for the five less goals that they've scored in open play with identical figures from dead-ball chances.

Man United have netted double the number scores from set-plays as they achieved in matchday 11 the previous campaign prior to the manager took charge, while Sunderland once more have been better at converting than the similar-colored team that went down.

City seem unaware of the trend about scoring more from set-pieces, since they've scored three fewer than last season, similar to Nottingham Forest, although this may result from the change in style they've attempted to adopt.

Overall Patterns

Six clubs – Arsenal, the Blues, Fulham, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – have been the current campaign's leading trend-followers by recording fewer scores from open-play and increased from set-pieces, while Manchester City are the only side to defy the pattern up to now by performing the contrary.

It remains to be seen to observe if teams continue to depend greatly on set-plays as the season goes on or if they find again their overall inventiveness and start scoring additional scores in open play too.