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One of the biggest stories of England's top flight season so far concerns the drop of goals scored in open-play scenarios and how teams have been scoring more from dead-ball situations as an alternative.

Comparing goal sources to the initial 11 matches last season, we note a drop of 39 scored in open play and an increase of 26 from team set-pieces and spot-kicks, leading to 13 less altogether.

If we look at the bigger picture, shot attempts clubs are making have seen a staggering drop of 370 in open play than at this stage last season.

Regardless of the notable jump in dead-ball scores, there have actually been just two more shots created from them excluding spot-kicks, indicating the efficiency sides are at discovering methods to convert from set-pieces.

Goal Averages Show a Story

301 total goals scored in the first 110 fixtures up to now averages out at 2.74 scores each match, if maintained for the entire campaign would be the smallest for half a decade, from five seasons ago (2.69 average).

However, only 196 scores coming in open play equates to 1.78 per fixture and is on course to be the lowest for 16 seasons, since 2009-10 (1.76 per game).

That campaign also marks the unique EPL campaign to witness goals scored more frequently from set-plays excluding penalties than the current rate of 0.77 each match (0.79 average).

Which Sides Are Most Responsible?

Regarding goals scored from open-play, Wolves have recorded the largest decrease, netting a mere four in 11 matches, 10 less than this point last season.

Outside of Wolverhampton, England's top division's decline in goals from open play is largely a London phenomenon, with five out of the city's seven teams recording five or more fewer goals from open play than the prior season.

To be fair, this is primarily due to their scoring many goals at the start of last season as opposed to their genuine struggle to convert in open play this season.

At the same time Man City have recorded the biggest increase, with nearly all of the 23 they've scored to date arriving in open play.

Set-Piece Success

Comparing the promoted teams with those that were relegated they took the place of. Sunderland Sunderland have recorded three more goals in open-play than the Saints managed in their opening 11 matches leading to relegation last season.

When it comes to goals scored from dead-ball situations (excluding penalties), the Gunners and the Blues have recorded the biggest increase, with each team compensating for the five less goals that they've scored in open-play with an equal amount from dead-ball chances.

Man United have recorded twice as many goals from set-plays as they did in matchday 11 last season ahead of their coach took over, while Sunderland again have been more effective at scoring than the fellow red-and-whites they replaced.

City appear not to have received the message about increasing scoring from set-pieces, because they've recorded three fewer than the previous campaign, like Forest, although that might be down to the altered approach they've attempted to adopt.

League-Wide Trends

Six sides – Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, the Magpies, Tottenham and the Hammers – are this season's primary examples by scoring fewer scores from open-play and additional from set-pieces, while Man City stand as the only side to defy the pattern to date by performing the exact opposite.

It will be interesting to see if clubs persist to rely so heavily on set-pieces as the campaign progresses or if they rediscover their all-round creativity and begin scoring additional scores in open play as well.