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One of the biggest stories of the EPL season so far is the decline of goals scored in open play and the way clubs are netting increasingly from set-pieces instead.

Looking at scoring methods to the first 11 games last season, we see 39 fewer goals in open play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, resulting in 13 fewer altogether.

Considering overall statistics, the number of shots teams are taking have seen a staggering drop of 370 in open play than this time previously.

Regardless of the notable jump in set-piece goals, there have actually been only two additional attempts generated from these situations outside of penalties, demonstrating the efficiency sides have been at finding ways to score from set-pieces.

Goal Averages Show the Tale

Over 300 goals scored in 110 games so far calculates at nearly 2.75 goals per game, if this persists for the whole season would be the least for five years, from five seasons ago (2.69 average).

But just under 200 goals coming in open play translates to 1.78 per game and is heading to be the least for 16 years, from 16 years ago (1.76 average).

2009-10 additionally represents the only Premier League campaign to witness scoring more frequently from set-plays excluding penalties than this season's rate of 0.77 per fixture (0.79).

Which Sides Account for This Change?

When it comes to goals scored from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen by far the biggest drop, netting only four in 11 matches, 10 fewer than this point last season.

Outside of Wolves, England's top division's fall in goals from open play is predominantly a London thing, with half of the London's seven clubs netting five or more fewer goals from open-play than the previous year.

Honestly, this is primarily due to them netting lots of scores at the beginning of last season instead of them really struggling to find the net in open play the current term.

At the same time City have experienced the largest rise, with all but one of their 23 scores this season coming in open play.

Set-Play Proficiency

We've compared clubs that came up with the relegated sides they took the place of. Play-off winners the Black Cats have netted three more scores in open play than the Saints achieved in their first 11 games on their way to demotion the previous campaign.

Regarding scoring from dead-ball situations (not counting spot-kicks), Arsenal and Chelsea have experienced the most significant jump, with the two clubs compensating for the five fewer scores that they've scored in open-play with the same number from dead-ball situations.

United have recorded two times more goals from set-plays as they achieved in matchday 11 the previous campaign prior to their coach took over, while Sunderland additionally are more successful at netting than the fellow red-and-whites that went down.

City appear not to have received the message about scoring more from set-pieces, because they've netted three fewer than last season, as have the Reds, although this may result from the tactical shift they're working to install.

League-Wide Trends

Six clubs – the Gunners, the Blues, the Cottagers, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – represent the current campaign's primary examples by scoring fewer goals from open-play and additional from set-plays, while City stand as the only side to buck the trend to date by performing the contrary.

It will be interesting to observe if teams continue to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the campaign progresses or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and start netting additional scores in open-play too.