🔗 Share this article

One of the biggest stories of England's top flight this campaign concerns the reduction of scoring in open play and the way sides have been scoring increasingly from dead-ball situations instead.

When we compare how goals have been scored to the initial 11 matches last season, we see a drop of 39 scored in open-play and an increase of 26 from set-plays and spot-kicks, giving us 13 less overall.

Examining overall statistics, shot attempts sides are producing reveal an incredible drop of 370 in open play than this time last time out.

And despite the notable jump in set-piece goals, records show a mere two extra attempts created from these situations excluding penalties, demonstrating the proficiency clubs are at devising strategies to score from dead-ball chances.

Scoring Rates Show a Story

Over 300 goals notched in 110 games up to now averages out at 2.74 goals per game, if maintained for the entire campaign could be the lowest for five years, back in 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

But just 196 goals scored in open play translates to 1.78 per fixture and is heading to be the least for since 2009-10, since 2009-10 (1.76).

2009-10 is also the only Premier League season to see scoring at a higher rate from set-plays excluding penalties than this season's rate of 0.77 per game (0.79 average).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

When it comes to goals scored from open-play, Wolves have seen the most significant decline, registering only four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than this point last season.

Outside of Wolves, the Premier League's decline in open play goals is largely a London thing, with half of the London's seven clubs netting a minimum of five less scores from open-play than the previous year.

In fairness, that's largely down to them scoring many goals at the beginning of the previous campaign instead of them having difficulty to find the net in open play this season.

Meanwhile Man City have seen the biggest increase, with almost every one of the 23 they've scored this season originating in open-play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

Comparing the promoted teams with those that were relegated they took the place of. Play-off champions Sunderland have netted three more scores in open play than the Saints achieved in their opening 11 matches en route to the drop last season.

In terms of scoring from set-pieces (excluding penalties), the Gunners and Chelsea have seen the most significant jump, with the two clubs compensating for the five fewer goals that they've netted in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball chances.

Manchester United have scored two times more scores from set-pieces as they managed in the 11 games the previous campaign before the manager took over, while Sunderland additionally are more successful at converting than the club they replaced they replaced.

Man City appear not to have received the memo about scoring more from set-plays, as they've recorded three fewer than the previous campaign, like the Reds, although this could be because of the change in style they've attempted to adopt.

Overall Patterns

Six sides – Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, the Magpies, Spurs and West Ham – are this season's leading trend-followers by netting less scores from open-play and additional from set-plays, while City represent the sole team to buck the trend to date by achieving the exact opposite.

It will be fascinating to see if sides carry on to place such emphasis on set-pieces as matches continue or if they regain their overall inventiveness and commence converting increased totals in open-play as well.