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A key narrative of the EPL this campaign is the decline of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way clubs are netting increasingly from set-pieces as an alternative.

When we compare how goals have been scored to the initial 11 matches the prior season, there have been 39 fewer goals in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, leading to 13 less in total.

Considering the bigger picture, shot attempts clubs are making have seen a staggering drop of 370 in open-play than this time last time out.

And despite the significant rise in set-piece goals, there have actually been only two additional attempts produced from these situations excluding spot-kicks, demonstrating the proficiency clubs have been at discovering methods to net from dead-ball chances.

Goal Averages Show an Interesting Narrative

Over 300 goals notched in 110 matches so far calculates at 2.74 scores per fixture, if maintained for the entire campaign might be the lowest for since 2020-21, since 2020-21 (2.69).

Yet merely 196 goals scored in open-play translates to 1.78 per fixture and is tracking to be the least for 16 seasons, from 16 years ago (1.76 per game).

That campaign additionally represents the sole English top-flight campaign to experience goals scored more often from dead-balls without spot-kicks than the current rate of 0.77 per fixture (0.79 average).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

Regarding scoring from open-play, Wolves have recorded the most significant drop, scoring a mere four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than this point the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolverhampton, the EPL's fall in open-play scoring is largely a London thing, with five of the London's seven clubs netting five or more fewer goals from open-play than the prior season.

Honestly, this is primarily due to them netting lots of goals at the early stages of last season instead of their genuine struggle to score in open-play this season.

Meanwhile Man City have seen the largest rise, with all but one of the 23 they've scored this season arriving in open play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

We've compared clubs that came up with the relegated sides they replaced. Sunderland Sunderland have netted three more scores in open play than the Saints did in their first 11 games on their way to relegation last season.

Regarding scoring from set-plays (not counting spot-kicks), the Gunners and Chelsea have recorded the biggest increase, with both sides compensating for the five less scores that they've produced in open-play with the same number from set-pieces.

Man United have recorded double the number goals from set-pieces as they achieved in the first 11 matches last season before Ruben Amorim assumed control, while the Black Cats once more prove more successful at netting than the fellow red-and-whites that went down.

Manchester City appear not to have received the trend about scoring more from set-pieces, as they've recorded three fewer than last season, as have the Reds, although this may result from the tactical shift they're working to install.

General Tendencies

Six teams – Arsenal, the Blues, Fulham, the Magpies, Tottenham and West Ham – represent this season's leading trend-followers by recording fewer scores from open-play and more from set-pieces, while City are the sole team to buck the trend to date by performing the complete reverse.

It will be fascinating to see if teams continue to place such emphasis on set-plays as matches continue or if they find again their general attacking flair and commence converting increased totals in open play too.