🔗 Share this article

A key narrative of the Premier League this campaign has been the drop of scoring in open-play scenarios and how sides have been scoring increasingly from set-pieces instead.

Comparing how goals have been scored to matchday 11 last season, there have been 39 fewer scored in open play and an increase of 26 from set-plays and penalties, leading to 13 less overall.

If we look at overall statistics, efforts on goal teams are taking have seen an incredible drop of 370 in open play than at this stage last season.

Regardless of the big increase in set-play finishes, there have actually been only two additional shots generated from these situations outside of spot-kicks, demonstrating the proficiency teams are at discovering methods to convert from dead-ball situations.

Goal Statistics Show the Tale

301 total goals recorded in 110 games to date averages out at 2.74 scores per fixture, if maintained for the whole season could be the least for half a decade, from five seasons ago (2.69).

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

2009-10 is also the only Premier League season to experience scoring more frequently from non-penalty set-pieces than this season's rate of 0.77 per fixture (0.79).

What Clubs Account for This Change?

In terms of scoring from open-play, Wolves have experienced the most significant decline, netting just four in 11 games, 10 less than this point the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolverhampton, the Premier League's drop in open-play scoring is predominantly a London phenomenon, with five out of the capital's seven sides recording five or more fewer goals from open-play than the prior season.

Honestly, this is primarily due to their scoring many scores at the start of last season rather than them really struggling to score in open play this season.

At the same time Manchester City have seen the largest rise, with all but one of their 23 scores to date arriving in open play.

Set-Play Proficiency

Looking at clubs that came up with those that were relegated they took the place of. Play-off winners Sunderland have netted three extra scores in open-play than Southampton did in their first 11 games on their way to relegation the previous campaign.

Regarding scoring from dead-ball situations (aside from spot-kicks), the Gunners and the Blues have seen the largest rise, with each team compensating for the five less scores that they've produced in open play with an equal amount from dead-ball chances.

Man United have recorded double the number scores from set-plays as they achieved in matchday 11 the previous campaign prior to Ruben Amorim took over, while Sunderland once more prove more effective at netting than the fellow red-and-whites they superseded.

Manchester City don't seem to have got the message about scoring more from set-pieces, since they've scored three less than last season, like the Reds, although this may result from the change in style they've attempted to adopt.

Overall Patterns

Six teams – the Gunners, the Blues, Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs and the Hammers – have been this season's primary examples by netting less goals from open play and increased from set-pieces, while Manchester City represent the sole team to go against the grain to date by performing the contrary.

It will be fascinating to watch if clubs carry on to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they regain their general attacking flair and commence netting more goals in open-play also.