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One of the biggest stories of England's top flight season so far is the decline of scoring in open-play scenarios and how sides are netting increasingly from set-plays as an alternative.

Comparing how goals have been scored to matchday 11 last season, we see 39 fewer scored in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and penalties, leading to 13 less in total.

Examining the bigger picture, shot attempts teams are taking have seen an incredible 370 fewer in open-play than at this stage last time out.

Even with the significant rise in dead-ball scores, there have actually been just two more attempts produced from them excluding spot-kicks, demonstrating how effective clubs are at discovering methods to net from dead-ball chances.

Scoring Rates Show a Story

The 301 goals scored in 110 games to date calculates at nearly 2.75 goals per game, if this persists for the entire campaign would be the least 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 least for 16 years, from 16 years ago (1.76 average).

2009-10 also marks the unique EPL season to experience scoring at a higher rate from dead-balls without spot-kicks than this season's rate of 0.77 per game (0.79 per game).

What Clubs Bear the Most Responsibility?

When it comes to scoring from open-play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced the most significant decline, netting only four in 11 matches, 10 less than at this stage last season.

Apart from Wolverhampton, England's top division's fall in open play goals is largely a London phenomenon, with half of the London's seven clubs recording a minimum of five goals fewer from open-play than last season.

Honestly, that's largely down to them netting numerous scores at the start of the previous campaign rather than their genuine struggle to score in open play the current term.

Meanwhile Man City have seen the most significant jump, with nearly all of the 23 they've scored this season originating in open-play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

Comparing newly promoted sides with the relegated sides they took the place of. Play-off champions the Black Cats have netted three extra goals in open play than Southampton did in their opening 11 matches on their way to demotion the previous campaign.

Regarding goals scored from set-plays (aside from penalties), the Gunners and the Blues have recorded the most significant jump, with both sides making up for the reduction of five goals that they've produced in open play with an equal amount from dead-ball situations.

United have recorded twice as many goals from set-plays as they managed in matchday 11 last season ahead of the manager took over, while the Black Cats once more prove more successful at scoring than the club they replaced they superseded.

Manchester City seem unaware of the trend about scoring more from set-pieces, as they've netted three fewer than last season, similar to Forest, even if that might be down to the altered approach they have tried to implement.

League-Wide Trends

Six sides – Arsenal, the Blues, Fulham, the Magpies, Spurs and West Ham – represent the current campaign's leading trend-followers by netting less scores from open play and increased from set-pieces, while Man City represent the only side to buck the trend to date by doing the contrary.

It remains to be seen to watch if sides continue to place such emphasis on set-plays as the season goes on or if they regain their overall inventiveness and begin netting more goals in open play also.