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A key narrative of the EPL season so far is the reduction of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way teams have been scoring more from dead-ball situations instead.

When we compare scoring methods to the first 11 games the prior season, we note 39 fewer scored in open play and an increase of 26 from team set-pieces and penalties, giving us 13 less in total.

Examining overall statistics, efforts on goal teams are taking show a remarkable drop of 370 in open play than at this stage previously.

Regardless of the notable jump in set-play finishes, we've actually seen a mere two extra attempts generated from them excluding penalties, showing the efficiency teams are at finding ways to score from dead-ball chances.

Scoring Rates Show the Tale

The 301 goals recorded in the first 110 fixtures to date calculates at 2.74 scores each match, if maintained for the whole season would be the smallest for half a decade, since 2020-21 (2.69 average).

Yet merely 196 scores coming in open-play equates to 1.78 each match and is heading to be the lowest for 16 seasons, from 16 years ago (1.76 average).

2009-10 is also the unique EPL season to witness goals scored more often from dead-balls without spot-kicks than the current rate of 0.77 each match (0.79 average).

What Clubs Are Most Responsible?

When it comes to scoring from open play, Wolves have recorded the largest decline, netting a mere four in 11 games, 10 less than this point the previous campaign.

Apart from Wolves, the Premier League's drop in open play goals is predominantly a London phenomenon, with five out of the capital's seven sides recording five or more fewer goals from open-play than last season.

To be fair, that's largely down to them netting many goals at the start of last season instead of them having difficulty to find the net in open-play the current term.

Meanwhile Manchester City have experienced the biggest increase, with all but one of their 23 scores this season coming in open-play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

We've compared clubs that came up with the teams that went down that they superseded. Sunderland the Black Cats have scored three extra goals in open play than Southampton did in their opening 11 matches on their way to the drop the previous campaign.

When it comes to scoring from set-plays (excluding spot-kicks), Arsenal and the Blues have seen the most significant jump, with both sides compensating for the reduction of five goals that they've netted in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball situations.

Manchester United have recorded double the number goals from set-plays as they achieved in the first 11 matches last season ahead of Ruben Amorim assumed control, while Sunderland additionally are more effective at scoring than the similar-colored team they superseded.

Man City seem unaware of the trend about increasing scoring from set-pieces, because they've scored three less than last season, as have Forest, even if this may result from the tactical shift they've attempted to adopt.

League-Wide Trends

Six sides – Arsenal, the Blues, the Cottagers, the Magpies, Tottenham and the Hammers – have been the current campaign's primary examples by recording fewer scores from open-play and more from set-plays, while Manchester City are the unique club to defy the pattern up to now by achieving the contrary.

It remains to be seen to observe if sides persist to place such emphasis on set-plays as the campaign progresses or if they find again their all-round creativity and start converting additional scores in open-play as well.