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One of the biggest stories of the EPL this campaign has been the drop of scoring in open-play scenarios and how teams are finding goals more from set-plays as an alternative.

When we compare scoring methods to the initial 11 matches the prior season, we note a drop of 39 scored in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and penalties, giving us 13 less altogether.

Examining the bigger picture, the number of shots teams are taking reveal a staggering 370 fewer in open-play than at this stage last time out.

Even with the big increase in set-piece goals, we've actually seen a mere two extra attempts created from them excluding spot-kicks, indicating the proficiency sides have been at devising strategies to score from dead-ball situations.

Goal Averages Reveal an Interesting Narrative

The 301 goals scored in 110 matches to date averages out at 2.74 goals per fixture, if this persists for all 38 games might be the smallest for five years, from five seasons ago (2.69).

Yet merely 196 goals coming in open play translates to 1.78 per game and is heading to be the lowest for since 2009-10, from 16 years ago (1.76).

2009-10 additionally represents the unique EPL campaign to experience goals scored more often from dead-balls without spot-kicks than this season's rate of 0.77 each match (0.79 average).

What Clubs Bear the Most Responsibility?

In terms of scoring from open-play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced the largest decline, registering a mere four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than at this stage last season.

Apart from Wolves, England's top division's drop in goals from open play is very much a trend among London clubs, with five out of the capital's seven sides scoring at least five goals fewer from open play than the previous year.

Honestly, that's largely down to their scoring lots of scores at the start of the previous campaign rather than them having difficulty to convert in open play this season.

Conversely Manchester City have recorded the largest rise, with almost every one of their 23 goals so far coming in open-play.

Set-Piece Success

Comparing the promoted teams with those that were relegated they replaced. Play-off champions the Black Cats have recorded three extra goals in open-play than Southampton achieved in their opening 11 matches leading to relegation last season.

When it comes to scoring from set-pieces (aside from spot-kicks), the Gunners and Chelsea have recorded the largest rise, with each team making up for the five fewer goals that they've produced in open-play with identical figures from dead-ball situations.

United have netted two times more goals from set-pieces as they achieved in matchday 11 the previous campaign ahead of the manager took charge, while Sunderland additionally prove more effective at scoring than the club they replaced they superseded.

Manchester City seem unaware of the trend about netting additional goals from set-pieces, as they've recorded three less than last season, as have Forest, although this may result from the altered approach they've attempted to adopt.

Overall Patterns

Six sides – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Tottenham and the Hammers – have been this season's leading trend-followers by recording fewer scores from open-play and additional from set-pieces, while City are the sole team to defy the pattern so far by achieving the complete reverse.

It remains to be seen to see if sides carry on to rely so heavily on set-plays as matches continue or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and commence scoring more goals in open play too.