Where Has the Excitement Gone? This Drop of Open-Play Goal Scoring
One of the biggest stories of the EPL this campaign concerns the decline of goals scored in open play and how clubs have been scoring more from set-pieces as an alternative.
Looking at goal sources to the first 11 games the prior season, there have been 39 fewer scored in open-play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, leading to 13 less in total.
Examining overall statistics, the number of shots sides are producing have seen an incredible 370 fewer in open-play than at this stage last season.
Regardless of the big increase in set-piece goals, we've actually seen a mere two extra shots generated from them outside of penalties, demonstrating how effective clubs have been at finding ways to score from dead-ball chances.
Goal Statistics Tell the Tale
301 total goals recorded in 110 games so far works out at nearly 2.75 goals each match, which if it continued for the entire campaign would be the least for five years, from five seasons ago (2.69 average).
Yet merely 196 scores coming in open-play averages out 1.78 per game and is on course to be the smallest for since 2009-10, from 16 years ago (1.76 per game).
2009-10 is also the sole English top-flight campaign to experience goals scored more often from dead-balls without spot-kicks than this season's rate of 0.77 each match (0.79).
Which Sides Bear the Most Responsibility?
Regarding goals scored from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced the most significant decrease, registering only four in 11 games, 10 fewer than this point the previous campaign.
Apart from Wolves, the Premier League's drop in goals from open play is very much a trend among London clubs, with five out of the capital's seven sides scoring at least five goals fewer from open-play than last season.
Honestly, this is mainly because them netting numerous goals at the beginning of last season as opposed to them having difficulty to score in open-play this campaign.
At the same time City have experienced the largest rise, with almost every one of their 23 goals to date originating in open-play.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Looking at the promoted teams with the relegated sides that they superseded. Play-off winners the Black Cats have netted three extra goals in open play than Southampton managed in matchday 11 en route to the drop the previous campaign.
Regarding scoring from set-plays (excluding spot-kicks), the Gunners and Chelsea have recorded the largest rise, with each team compensating for the five fewer scores that they've netted in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball chances.
Man United have scored two times more goals from set-pieces as they did in the 11 games last season ahead of Ruben Amorim took charge, while Sunderland again are more effective at netting than the club they replaced they replaced.
Man City appear not to have received the message about netting additional goals from set-plays, because they've recorded a reduction of three than the previous campaign, like Forest, though that might be down to the tactical shift they're working to install.
League-Wide Trends
Six sides – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs and the Hammers – are this term's primary examples by recording fewer goals from open-play and increased from set-pieces, while Man City are the sole team to buck the trend up to now by doing the contrary.
It will be fascinating to observe if teams continue to place such emphasis on set-pieces as the campaign progresses or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and commence netting additional scores in open play also.
