Is the Entertainment Fading? The Decline of the Goal Scoring
A major talking point of the Premier League season so far has been the reduction of goals scored in open-play scenarios and the way clubs are netting more from dead-ball situations instead.
When we compare goal sources to the initial 11 matches the prior season, we see 39 fewer goals in open play and an increase of 26 from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, resulting in 13 less altogether.
If we look at the broader view, the number of shots teams are taking have seen an incredible drop of 370 in open-play than at this stage last time out.
Regardless of the big increase in set-piece goals, we've actually seen a mere two extra shots created from them excluding penalties, demonstrating the efficiency sides are at finding ways to score from dead-ball situations.
Scoring Rates Tell the Tale
301 total goals scored in 110 matches so far works out at nearly 2.75 goals each match, if this persists for the whole season would be the smallest for half a decade, from five seasons ago (2.69 average).
But just 196 goals coming in open-play translates to 1.78 each match and is heading to be the smallest for 16 years, back in 2009-10 (1.76 per game).
That campaign is also the only Premier League campaign to experience goals scored at a higher rate from dead-balls without spot-kicks than the current rate of 0.77 each match (0.79 per game).
Which Teams Are Most Responsible?
Regarding scoring from open play, Wolves have recorded by far the biggest drop, netting only four in 11 matches, 10 less than this point the previous campaign.
Excluding Wolves, the EPL's fall in goals from open play is largely a London phenomenon, with five out of the capital's seven sides netting a minimum of five fewer goals from open play than last season.
To be fair, this is primarily due to them scoring numerous scores at the start of the previous campaign instead of them having difficulty to score in open play this season.
Meanwhile Man City have seen the largest rise, with nearly all of their 23 goals to date coming in open-play.
Dead-Ball Dominance
We've compared newly promoted sides with the teams that went down they replaced. Play-off champions Sunderland have netted three extra scores in open-play than the Saints achieved in matchday 11 on their way to relegation last season.
When it comes to goals scored from dead-ball situations (excluding penalties), Arsenal and Chelsea have recorded the largest rise, with both sides making up for the five less scores that they've produced in open play with identical figures from dead-ball situations.
United have recorded double the number goals from set-plays as they achieved in the first 11 matches the previous campaign before the manager took charge, while the Black Cats again are more successful at scoring than the club they replaced that went down.
Manchester City don't seem to have got the message about scoring more from set-pieces, because they've scored three less than the previous campaign, like the Reds, although this could be because of the change in style they've attempted to adopt.
Overall Patterns
Six teams – Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs and the Hammers – represent this term's primary examples by netting less scores from open-play and increased from set-pieces, while Man City are the only side to buck the trend up to now by doing the contrary.
It will be interesting to watch if teams persist to depend greatly on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they regain their overall inventiveness and commence converting increased totals in open play as well.