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One of the biggest stories of the Premier League season so far is the reduction of scoring in open play and the way clubs have been scoring more from dead-ball situations as an alternative.

Comparing goal sources to the first 11 games the prior 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.

Considering the broader view, efforts on goal teams are taking reveal a staggering 370 fewer in open-play than at this stage previously.

Regardless of the notable jump in dead-ball scores, we've actually seen only two additional shots produced from them excluding penalties, indicating the efficiency teams are at devising strategies to score from set-pieces.

Scoring Rates Tell the Tale

The 301 goals recorded in 110 games so far works out at 2.74 scores per fixture, if maintained for all 38 games might be the smallest for half a decade, back in 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

However, only 196 scores scored in open play translates to 1.78 per fixture and is on course to be the least for 16 years, since 2009-10 (1.76).

That campaign also marks the unique EPL season to see scoring more frequently from set-plays excluding penalties than the current rate of 0.77 per game (0.79 per game).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

In terms of scoring from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have recorded the largest decrease, scoring only four in 11 matches, 10 less than this point last season.

Outside of Wolverhampton, the EPL's fall in open-play scoring is predominantly a London phenomenon, with half of the London's seven clubs netting at least five goals fewer from open play than the prior season.

To be fair, this is primarily due to them scoring lots of scores at the early stages of last season instead of them really struggling to score in open play the current term.

At the same time Man City have seen the largest rise, with nearly all of their 23 scores so far originating in open play.

Set-Play Proficiency

We've compared the promoted teams with those that were relegated they took the place of. Play-off champions the Black Cats have recorded three more scores in open play than Southampton did in their first 11 games on their way to demotion the previous campaign.

In terms of scoring from dead-ball situations (not counting spot-kicks), the Gunners and the Blues have experienced the most significant jump, with each team making up for the five fewer scores that they've netted in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball situations.

Manchester United have netted twice as many goals from set-plays as they achieved in the first 11 matches the previous campaign prior to Ruben Amorim took charge, while Sunderland again prove more effective at converting than the similar-colored team they replaced.

Man City appear not to have received the memo about increasing scoring from set-plays, as they've netted three less than last season, like Forest, though this may result from the change in style they've attempted to adopt.

League-Wide Trends

Six clubs – the Gunners, the Blues, the Cottagers, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – have been this term's primary examples by netting less goals from open-play and increased from set-plays, while Manchester City stand as the only side to go against the grain to date by doing the exact opposite.

It will be fascinating to see if clubs persist to depend greatly on set-pieces as the campaign progresses or if they regain their overall inventiveness and start netting additional scores in open-play also.