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A major talking point of the Premier League this campaign concerns the decline of scoring in open play and the way clubs are netting more from set-pieces instead.

Comparing scoring methods to matchday 11 last season, we note 39 fewer scored in open-play and an increase of 26 from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, resulting in 13 less overall.

If we look at overall statistics, the number of shots teams are taking show a remarkable 370 fewer in open-play than this time last season.

And despite the big increase in set-piece goals, we've actually seen only two additional shots generated from these situations excluding spot-kicks, showing how effective sides are at devising strategies to convert from set-pieces.

Scoring Rates Tell an Interesting Narrative

Over 300 goals notched in 110 games so far calculates at 2.74 goals per game, if this persists for the whole season might be the lowest for five years, since 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

But just under 200 goals scored in open-play equates to 1.78 per game and is tracking to be the least for 16 seasons, back in 2009-10 (1.76 average).

2009-10 additionally represents the sole English top-flight campaign to see goals scored more frequently from dead-balls without spot-kicks than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 each match (0.79 per game).

What Clubs Bear the Most Responsibility?

Regarding goals scored from open play, Wolves have recorded the most significant drop, netting only four in 11 matches, 10 fewer than this point last season.

Outside of Wolves, the Premier League's fall in open play goals is predominantly a London phenomenon, with half of the capital's seven sides scoring a minimum of five less scores from open play than the previous year.

To be fair, this is mainly because their scoring numerous scores at the beginning of the previous campaign as opposed to them having difficulty to find the net in open-play this season.

Conversely Manchester City have experienced the biggest increase, with all but one of their 23 goals this season arriving in open-play.

Set-Piece Success

Looking at newly promoted sides with the relegated sides they took the place of. Play-off winners Sunderland have recorded an additional three goals in open play than the Saints did in matchday 11 on their way to relegation the previous campaign.

Regarding goals scored from set-plays (not counting penalties), the Gunners and Chelsea have seen the biggest increase, with both sides replacing the reduction of five scores that they've netted in open-play with the same number from dead-ball situations.

Man United have scored double the number goals from set-pieces as they managed in the 11 games last season prior to the manager assumed control, while the Black Cats once more have been more successful at scoring than the fellow red-and-whites they superseded.

City seem unaware of the memo about increasing scoring from set-pieces, because they've netted three less than last season, as have Nottingham Forest, though this could be because of the altered approach they're working to install.

General Tendencies

Six clubs – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, the Magpies, Tottenham and the Hammers – are this season's leading trend-followers by scoring fewer scores from open play and more from set-plays, while City are the unique club to buck the trend up to now by achieving the contrary.

It will be interesting to observe if sides carry on to depend greatly on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they find again their all-round creativity and commence netting increased totals in open-play too.