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A major talking point of the EPL season so far is the reduction of scoring in open-play scenarios and the way sides are netting more from dead-ball situations instead.

Looking at goal sources to the initial 11 matches last season, we note a drop of 39 scored in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and penalties, giving us 13 fewer altogether.

Considering the bigger picture, shot attempts clubs are making show a staggering drop of 370 in open play than at this stage last time out.

Even with the big increase in dead-ball scores, records show a mere two extra shots produced from these situations excluding penalties, demonstrating the efficiency sides have been at finding ways to score from dead-ball situations.

Goal Statistics Show a Story

Over 300 goals scored in 110 games to date averages out at 2.74 goals each match, which if it continued for all 38 games would be the least for half a decade, from five seasons ago (2.69 per game).

However, only 196 scores scored in open play averages out 1.78 each match and is tracking to be the least for 16 seasons, from 16 years ago (1.76 average).

2009-10 additionally represents the unique EPL campaign to see goals scored at a higher rate from set-plays excluding penalties than this season's rate of 0.77 each match (0.79).

Which Sides Bear the Most Responsibility?

When it comes to goals scored from open-play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced the most significant decrease, netting just four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than at this stage the previous campaign.

Outside of Wolverhampton, the Premier League's decline in goals from open play is predominantly a trend among London clubs, with five out of the capital's seven sides scoring a minimum of five less scores from open play than the prior season.

Honestly, this is primarily due to their scoring many scores at the beginning of the previous campaign as opposed to their genuine struggle to convert in open-play this campaign.

Conversely Manchester City have recorded the biggest increase, with nearly all of their 23 scores so far arriving in open play.

Set-Play Proficiency

We've compared newly promoted sides with the relegated sides they took the place of. Play-off winners the Black Cats have netted an additional three scores in open-play than Southampton did in matchday 11 on their way to relegation last season.

Regarding scoring from dead-ball situations (not counting penalties), the Gunners and Chelsea have recorded the biggest increase, with the two clubs replacing the five less scores that they've produced in open play with identical figures from dead-ball situations.

Manchester United have recorded two times more goals from set-plays as they achieved in the 11 games last season before their coach took over, while the Black Cats once more prove more effective at converting than the club they replaced they superseded.

Manchester City appear not to have received the trend about increasing scoring from set-plays, since they've recorded a reduction of three than the previous campaign, similar to Forest, though that might be down to the change in style they've attempted to adopt.

General Tendencies

Six clubs – the Gunners, the Blues, the Cottagers, the Magpies, Spurs and the Hammers – represent this season's top trend-setters by recording fewer scores from open-play and more from set-plays, while City represent the sole team to go against the grain to date by doing the exact opposite.

It remains to be seen to observe if clubs persist to rely so heavily on set-pieces as matches continue or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and start scoring increased totals in open-play also.