Where Has the Excitement Gone? This Fall of the Goal Scoring
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 increasingly from set-pieces as an alternative.
Comparing scoring methods to the first 11 games last season, we note 39 fewer goals in open play and 26 more from set-plays and spot-kicks, resulting in 13 less overall.
Examining the broader view, efforts on goal clubs are making reveal a remarkable 370 fewer in open-play than this time last time out.
And despite the notable jump in set-piece goals, records show a mere two extra shots created from these situations outside of spot-kicks, demonstrating the proficiency teams are at devising strategies to score from dead-ball situations.
Goal Averages Tell an Interesting Narrative
Over 300 goals recorded in the first 110 fixtures up to now averages out at 2.74 scores each match, which if it continued for all 38 games might be the least for five years, from five seasons ago (2.69).
However, only 196 goals scored in open-play equates to 1.78 per game and is on course to be the smallest for 16 years, since 2009-10 (1.76 average).
2009-10 also marks the only Premier League season to see goals scored more frequently from non-penalty set-pieces than the current rate of 0.77 each match (0.79 per game).
What Clubs Bear the Most Responsibility?
Regarding goals scored from open play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen by far the biggest drop, netting only four in 11 games, 10 fewer than at this stage the previous campaign.
Outside of Wolves, the Premier League's drop in open-play scoring is very much a London thing, with five out of the London's seven clubs scoring five or more less scores from open play than last season.
In fairness, that's largely down to their scoring lots of goals at the beginning of the previous campaign as opposed to their genuine struggle to find the net in open play this season.
Meanwhile City have seen the most significant jump, with all but one of the 23 they've scored this season originating in open-play.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Comparing the promoted teams with the teams that went down that they superseded. Sunderland the Black Cats have netted three extra goals in open-play than Southampton did in matchday 11 en route to demotion last season.
When it comes to goals scored from set-plays (not counting spot-kicks), Arsenal and the Blues have experienced the most significant jump, with the two clubs compensating for the five less scores that they've scored in open-play with identical figures from dead-ball chances.
United have scored two times more goals from set-pieces as they managed in the 11 games the previous campaign before Ruben Amorim assumed control, while Sunderland again have been better at scoring than the similar-colored team they replaced.
Man City seem unaware of the message about scoring more from set-plays, because they've scored three less than the previous campaign, like Nottingham Forest, even if this could be because of the change in style they have tried to implement.
General Tendencies
Six clubs – Arsenal, the Blues, Fulham, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – are this season's top trend-setters by recording fewer goals from open play and increased from set-pieces, while Manchester City are the sole team to go against the grain to date by achieving the exact opposite.
It remains to be seen to see if sides continue to place such emphasis on set-plays as matches continue or if they rediscover their general attacking flair and begin scoring more goals in open play too.
