Where Has the Excitement Gone? This Fall of the Goals from Open Play
A key narrative of England's top flight season so far concerns the decline of scoring in open play and how teams have been scoring more from dead-ball situations as an alternative.
Looking at scoring methods to the initial 11 matches last season, there have been a drop of 39 scored in open-play and an increase of 26 from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, giving us 13 fewer overall.
Examining the broader view, efforts on goal sides are producing have seen an incredible 370 fewer in open-play than at this stage last time out.
Even with the notable jump in set-play finishes, we've actually seen a mere two extra attempts generated from them excluding spot-kicks, showing the efficiency sides have been at devising strategies to convert from dead-ball chances.
Scoring Rates Reveal the Tale
Over 300 goals recorded in 110 matches so far works out at 2.74 goals per fixture, if this persists for the whole season might be the smallest for five years, from five seasons ago (2.69 per game).
However, only 196 goals scored in open play averages out 1.78 per game and is tracking to be the smallest for 16 years, back in 2009-10 (1.76).
The 2009-10 season additionally represents the unique EPL campaign to witness scoring at a higher rate from non-penalty set-pieces than the current rate of 0.77 per game (0.79 average).
Which Teams Are Most Responsible?
Regarding scoring from open-play, Wolves have experienced the largest decrease, scoring just four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than this point the previous campaign.
Outside of Wolverhampton, the EPL's fall in open play goals is predominantly a London phenomenon, with five out of the London's seven clubs scoring at least five less scores from open play than last season.
In fairness, that's largely down to them scoring lots of goals at the early stages of last season instead of them really struggling to convert in open play the current term.
Meanwhile Manchester City have experienced the largest rise, with all but one of their 23 scores so far originating in open-play.
Set-Play Proficiency
Comparing clubs that came up with the teams that went down they took the place of. Play-off champions Sunderland have scored three more goals in open play than the Saints achieved in matchday 11 leading to relegation the previous campaign.
Regarding goals scored from set-plays (excluding spot-kicks), the Gunners and the Blues have seen the largest rise, with each team making up for the five less scores that they've netted in open play with an equal amount from set-pieces.
Manchester United have scored twice as many scores from set-pieces as they managed in matchday 11 the previous campaign prior to their coach took charge, while Sunderland additionally have been more successful at netting than the fellow red-and-whites that went down.
Manchester City seem unaware of the memo about scoring more from set-plays, since they've recorded a reduction of three than last season, similar to Nottingham Forest, though this could be because of the tactical shift they have tried to implement.
Overall Patterns
Six sides – Arsenal, Chelsea, the Cottagers, the Magpies, Spurs and the Hammers – represent this season's top trend-setters by recording fewer goals from open play and additional from set-pieces, while Man City represent the unique club to defy the pattern so far by doing the exact opposite.
It will be interesting to see if sides carry on to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they find again their all-round creativity and start netting increased totals in open play as well.
