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One of the biggest stories of England's top flight season so far has been the reduction of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way clubs are netting increasingly from set-pieces instead.

Comparing how goals have been scored to the initial 11 matches the prior season, we see 39 fewer goals in open-play and an increase of 26 from set-plays and penalties, resulting in 13 less in total.

Examining the bigger picture, shot attempts teams are taking reveal an incredible 370 fewer in open play than at this stage previously.

Even with the big increase in set-play finishes, there have actually been only two additional attempts generated from these situations excluding spot-kicks, indicating the proficiency sides are at devising strategies to net from dead-ball situations.

Goal Statistics Reveal a Story

Over 300 goals recorded in the first 110 fixtures up to now calculates at nearly 2.75 goals per game, which if it continued for the whole season would be the lowest for half a decade, back in 2020-21 (2.69).

But just 196 scores coming in open-play translates to 1.78 each match and is heading to be the lowest for 16 years, from 16 years ago (1.76 average).

The 2009-10 season is also the unique EPL season to witness scoring more often from non-penalty set-pieces than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 per game (0.79 per game).

Which Sides Bear the Most Responsibility?

When it comes to goals scored from open-play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have recorded the most significant decline, registering a mere four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 less than at this stage last season.

Outside of Wolves, the Premier League's decline in goals from open play is largely a trend among London clubs, with five of the city's seven teams recording at least five less scores from open play than last season.

To be fair, this is primarily due to them scoring lots of goals at the early stages of the previous campaign instead of their genuine struggle to score in open-play this campaign.

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

Set-Play Proficiency

We've compared newly promoted sides with the relegated sides they took the place of. Sunderland the Black Cats have scored three extra scores in open play than the Saints managed in matchday 11 en route to demotion the previous campaign.

Regarding scoring from set-pieces (aside from spot-kicks), Arsenal and Chelsea have recorded the biggest increase, with the two clubs compensating for the five fewer goals that they've scored in open-play with identical figures from dead-ball chances.

United have scored twice as many goals from set-pieces as they managed in matchday 11 last season before the manager assumed control, while the Black Cats additionally are more successful at converting than the club they replaced they replaced.

Manchester City appear not to have received the memo about netting additional goals from set-plays, because they've netted a reduction of three than the previous campaign, as have Nottingham Forest, though this may result from the change in style they're working to install.

Overall Patterns

Six sides – Arsenal, the Blues, the Cottagers, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – have been the current campaign's primary examples by recording fewer scores from open play and more from set-pieces, while Man City represent the only side to go against the grain so far by doing the contrary.

It remains to be seen to watch if teams carry on to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they rediscover their overall inventiveness and begin scoring increased totals in open-play as well.