Where Have All The Set Piece Goals Gone?

You have to sing the title of this post to to the tune of this bizarre classic by Paula Cole:


    

Killer chorus.

A question: Where have all the set piece goals gone?

Through 160 games this season we have seen 72 set piece goals (if the numbers are out lemme know). Through 160 games of the 13/14 season we had already seen 96 goals.

So what gives: are teams taking less set piece shots or has shooting% from set piece shots dropped off? In fact, both of these things have happened.

Set Piece Data In 14/15

S 14/15	SP Shots F	SP Shots A	SP Goals F	SP Goals A	Shooting%
Arsenal	56	38	3	6	5.4
Aston Villa	39	52	2	5	5.1
Burnley	39	67	1	6	2.6
Chelsea	54	31	7	2	13.0
Crystal Palace	41	58	6	7	14.6
Everton	41	47	6	2	14.6
Hull	28	65	2	2	7.1
Leicester	37	78	1	6	2.7
Liverpool	52	44	2	6	3.8
Man City	46	45	1		2.2
Man United	51	53	6	4	11.8
Newcastle	62	44	2	2	3.2
QPR	66	53	5	4	7.6
Southampton	52	42	3	1	5.8
Stoke	63	60	2	4	3.2
Sunderland	57	31	3	1	5.3
Swansea	33	52	1	4	3.0
Tottenham	52	43	5	1	9.6
West Brom	48	46	5	5	10.4
West Ham	72	40	9	4	12.5
Total	989	989	72	72	7.3

72 goals on 989 shots for a shooting% of 7.3% from set pieces.

Set Piece Data In 13/14

S 13/14	SP Shots F	SP SHots A	SP Goals F	SP Goals A	Shooting%
Arsenal	41	50	4	4	9.8
Aston Villa	39	50	3	4	7.7
Cardiff	59	67	5	2	8.5
Chelsea	57	42	7	5	12.3
Palace	55	41	4	6	7.3
Everton	56	43	8	3	14.3
Fulham	38	75	6	8	15.8
Hull	57	64	2	4	3.5
Liverpool	61	47	10	5	16.4
Man City	65	28	10	5	15.4
Man United	51	44	6	6	11.8
Newcastle	46	57	4	6	8.7
Norwich	48	60	2	5	4.2
Southampton	68	50	5	3	7.4
Stoke	42	62	3	8	7.1
Sunderland	52	50	5	6	9.6
Swansea	39	57	4	3	10.3
Tottenham	64	54	3	2	4.7
West Brom	48	43	4	4	8.3
West Ham	55	57	1	7	1.8
	1041	1041	96	96	9.2

96 goals on 1041 shots for a 9.2% shooting%.

We should know by know that shooting% fluctuates over small samples and a drop from 9.2% to 7.3% can probably be filed under 'shit happens'. The shooting% may well regress so let's not worry too much about percentages. But I do wonder why shots from set pieces are down by 152 from this point last year, -152 shots is almost a shot per game.

Anyone have any ideas? Data issues; a change in tactics; fewer shots from corners; fewer direct free kicks being given; better defending from set piece situations?

As always I want you guys to do some of the work, so let me in the comments if you can think of any reasons for the drop off in both shots and shooting% from set pieces.