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One of the biggest stories of England's top flight season so far is the reduction of scoring in open play and how sides are finding goals more from set-pieces as an alternative.

When we compare goal sources to matchday 11 the prior season, we see a drop of 39 scored in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, giving us 13 fewer altogether.

Examining the bigger picture, efforts on goal sides are producing have seen an incredible drop of 370 in open play than at this stage last time out.

Regardless of the notable jump in dead-ball scores, there have actually been a mere two extra shots created from them outside of penalties, indicating the proficiency teams have been at devising strategies to net from dead-ball situations.

Goal Statistics Reveal a Story

Over 300 goals notched in 110 matches up to now calculates at 2.74 scores per fixture, if maintained for all 38 games would be the lowest for half a decade, back in 2020-21 (2.69 average).

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

That campaign additionally represents the only Premier League season to experience goals scored at a higher rate from set-plays excluding penalties than the current rate of 0.77 each match (0.79).

Which Teams Account for This Change?

Regarding goals scored from open-play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced the largest drop, netting only four in 11 games, a reduction of 10 than this point last season.

Outside of Wolverhampton, England's top division's decline in goals from open play is predominantly a London phenomenon, with half of the city's seven teams netting a minimum of five less scores from open play than the previous year.

In fairness, this is mainly because their scoring many goals at the early stages of last season rather than their genuine struggle to find the net in open-play this campaign.

Meanwhile Manchester City have experienced the most significant jump, with nearly all of their 23 scores so far coming in open-play.

Set-Play Proficiency

Looking at the promoted teams with those that were relegated they took the place of. Play-off winners Sunderland have scored three extra goals in open play than Southampton achieved in their opening 11 matches leading to relegation the previous campaign.

When it comes to goals scored from set-pieces (aside from spot-kicks), Arsenal and the Blues have experienced the largest rise, with each team replacing the five less scores that they've netted in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball situations.

Man United have scored two times more goals from set-plays as they achieved in the 11 games last season before their coach took over, while Sunderland additionally are better at netting than the fellow red-and-whites they replaced.

Manchester City don't seem to have got the trend about scoring more from set-pieces, as they've netted three less than last season, like Nottingham Forest, though this may result from the tactical shift they have tried to implement.

General Tendencies

Six sides – Arsenal, the Blues, Fulham, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham – have been this season's top trend-setters by netting less scores from open-play and more from set-plays, while Man City represent the unique club to go against the grain so far by doing the complete reverse.

It will be interesting to see if clubs continue to rely so heavily on set-pieces as matches continue or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and commence netting increased totals in open play as well.