Where Has the Excitement Gone? This Decline of the Goals from Open Play

A key narrative of the EPL season so far has been the reduction of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way teams have been scoring increasingly from dead-ball situations as an alternative.

Looking at scoring methods to the first 11 games the prior season, we see a drop of 39 goals in open play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, giving us 13 less altogether.

If we look at the broader view, the number of shots sides are producing reveal a staggering 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 just two more shots generated from these situations outside of spot-kicks, showing how effective clubs are at discovering methods to convert from dead-ball chances.

Goal Averages Show the Tale

The 301 goals recorded in 110 games so far averages out at 2.74 goals per game, if maintained for all 38 games might be the smallest for half a decade, from five seasons ago (2.69 average).

Yet merely 196 goals scored in open play translates to 1.78 per fixture and is on course to be the lowest for 16 seasons, back in 2009-10 (1.76 average).

2009-10 additionally represents the only Premier League season to witness scoring more frequently from non-penalty set-pieces than the current rate of 0.77 per fixture (0.79).

Which Teams Are Most Responsible?

Regarding goals scored from open-play, Wolves have seen by far the biggest decrease, scoring just four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than this point the previous campaign.

Excluding Wolverhampton, England's top division's drop in open-play scoring is predominantly a London phenomenon, with five of the London's seven clubs scoring at least five less scores from open play than the prior season.

In fairness, that's largely down to them scoring many scores at the start of the previous campaign as opposed to them really struggling to score in open play this campaign.

At the same time City have recorded the biggest increase, with all but one of their 23 scores this season coming in open-play.

Set-Piece Success

Looking at clubs that came up with the teams that went down they replaced. Sunderland the Black Cats have netted three extra goals in open play than the Saints achieved in their opening 11 matches en route to the drop last season.

Regarding goals scored from set-plays (aside from spot-kicks), Arsenal and the Blues have experienced the largest rise, with the two clubs making up for the five fewer goals that they've scored in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball situations.

Man United have netted double the number goals from set-pieces as they managed in matchday 11 last season prior to their coach took charge, while Sunderland again prove better at converting than the club they replaced they replaced.

Man City seem unaware of the trend about increasing scoring from set-pieces, because they've recorded three less than last season, like Nottingham Forest, though this could be because of the tactical shift they have tried to implement.

General Tendencies

Six sides – the Gunners, the Blues, the Cottagers, the Magpies, Tottenham and the Hammers – are this term's primary examples by scoring fewer scores from open play and increased from set-pieces, while Manchester City represent the unique club to defy the pattern to date by performing the complete reverse.

It will be fascinating to observe if clubs carry on to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the campaign progresses or if they find again their overall inventiveness and commence scoring additional scores in open play too.