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A key narrative of the EPL season so far is the decline of goals scored in open-play scenarios and the way clubs are netting increasingly from set-pieces instead.

Looking at how goals have been scored to the initial 11 matches last season, there have been a drop of 39 scored in open-play and 26 more from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, giving us 13 less in total.

Examining the bigger picture, the number of shots clubs are making show a remarkable 370 fewer in open-play than this time last season.

Even with the big increase in set-play finishes, there have actually been just two more shots produced from these situations excluding penalties, indicating the efficiency sides have been at discovering methods to net from dead-ball situations.

Scoring Rates Show an Interesting Narrative

The 301 goals scored in 110 matches to date works out at 2.74 scores per game, which if it continued for the whole season could be the smallest for half a decade, since 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

But just 196 goals scored in open-play averages out 1.78 per game and is tracking to be the lowest for 16 seasons, back in 2009-10 (1.76 average).

The 2009-10 season also marks the only Premier League campaign to see goals scored more often from set-plays excluding penalties than the current rate of 0.77 per fixture (0.79 per game).

Which Sides Bear the Most Responsibility?

When it comes to scoring from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen the most significant decline, netting a mere four in their first 11 fixtures, a reduction of 10 than this point the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolverhampton, the Premier League's decline in goals from open play is very much a London phenomenon, with half of the capital's seven sides scoring five or more less scores from open-play than the previous year.

Honestly, that's largely down to them netting numerous scores at the beginning of the previous campaign instead of them really struggling to find the net in open play this season.

At the same time Man City have seen the most significant jump, with almost every one of their 23 goals to date coming in open-play.

Set-Play Proficiency

Comparing the promoted teams with the relegated sides they took the place of. Sunderland Sunderland have scored an additional three scores in open-play than the Saints managed in their first 11 games leading to relegation the previous campaign.

Regarding scoring from set-plays (excluding spot-kicks), the Gunners and the Blues have seen the most significant jump, with each team making up for the reduction of five scores that they've scored in open-play with identical figures from dead-ball situations.

Manchester United have scored twice as many goals from set-plays as they achieved in the first 11 matches the previous campaign ahead of their coach took charge, while Sunderland again have been more successful at converting than the fellow red-and-whites that went down.

City seem unaware of the message about netting additional goals from set-pieces, because they've recorded three less than last season, like Forest, even if this may result from the altered approach they've attempted to adopt.

League-Wide Trends

Six clubs – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, the Magpies, Tottenham and West Ham – have been this season's top trend-setters by scoring fewer goals from open-play and increased from set-plays, while Man City are the sole team to go against the grain so far by performing the complete reverse.

It will be fascinating to see if clubs persist to depend greatly on set-plays as matches continue or if they find again their overall inventiveness and start netting increased totals in open play also.