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One of the biggest stories of the EPL season so far is the drop of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way clubs are finding goals increasingly from set-pieces as an alternative.

Comparing goal sources to the first 11 games last season, we note a drop of 39 goals in open-play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, giving us 13 less in total.

Considering the broader view, shot attempts sides are producing show an incredible 370 fewer in open-play than at this stage last season.

Even with the notable jump in set-piece goals, records show only two additional attempts generated from them excluding spot-kicks, showing the proficiency teams are at devising strategies to score from dead-ball chances.

Scoring Rates Reveal the Tale

Over 300 goals scored in the first 110 fixtures up to now works out at nearly 2.75 goals per fixture, if this persists for the whole season might be the least for since 2020-21, back in 2020-21 (2.69 average).

However, only 196 scores coming in open-play translates to 1.78 each match and is tracking to be the lowest for since 2009-10, back in 2009-10 (1.76 average).

2009-10 additionally represents the only Premier League campaign to see scoring at a higher rate from non-penalty set-pieces than the current rate of 0.77 per game (0.79 per game).

Which Teams Account for This Change?

When it comes to scoring from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced by far the biggest decline, registering just four in 11 games, 10 less than at this stage last season.

Outside of Wolverhampton, the Premier League's drop in goals from open play is largely a London phenomenon, with five out of the city's seven teams scoring a minimum of five fewer goals from open-play than the previous year.

Honestly, that's largely down to them scoring lots of goals at the beginning of last season as opposed to them having difficulty to convert in open-play the current term.

Conversely Manchester City have experienced the largest rise, with all but one of their 23 goals so far arriving in open-play.

Set-Play Proficiency

We've compared the promoted teams with those that were relegated that they superseded. Play-off winners Sunderland have scored three more goals in open-play than Southampton achieved in matchday 11 en route to the drop the previous campaign.

Regarding goals scored from dead-ball situations (not counting penalties), the Gunners and Chelsea have recorded the largest rise, with the two clubs making up for the five less scores that they've netted in open play with the same number from dead-ball chances.

Manchester United have netted twice as many goals from set-pieces as they did in the 11 games last season ahead of Ruben Amorim took over, while Sunderland again are more successful at scoring than the similar-colored team they replaced.

Manchester City seem unaware of the message about netting additional goals from set-pieces, because they've recorded three fewer than the previous campaign, as have Nottingham Forest, though this could be because of the change in style they're working to install.

General Tendencies

Six sides – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs and the Hammers – are this season's primary examples by scoring fewer goals from open-play and increased from set-pieces, while Manchester City represent the sole team to go against the grain so far by achieving the contrary.

It remains to be seen to watch if clubs persist to depend greatly on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they rediscover their general attacking flair and commence scoring increased totals in open play as well.