Football often divides opinion. But I’m sure we can all agree that the 2020/21 Premier League season has kicked off in crazy fashion.
As we head into the international break, there have already been a whopping 144 goals scored in just 38 Premier League games this season. That’s an average of 3.79 goals per game!
This is the highest goals per game ratio in England’s top division for 90 years, with the 1930/31 campaign producing 3.95 goals per game.
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that we are yet to see a goalless draw in the Premier League this term, and only six games have finished 1-0.
Remarkably, 18 games have produced over 3.5 goals, with Aston Villa’s shock 7-2 victory over Liverpool this highest-scoring game so far.
11 games have produced over 4.5 goals, ten games have produced over 5.5 goals, while seven games have produced over 6.5 goals.
But why have we already seen so many goals in the Premier League this season?
Well, one of the reasons could be due to the number of penalties that have been awarded in England’s top flight this term.
With the new handball rule in place, there have already been 20 spot-kicks this season – 18 of which have been scored, with only two missing the target.
When you consider that there were only 91 penalties awarded throughout the entirety of the 2019/20 campaign, this season’s spot-kick tally is ludicrously high.
Empty stadiums could also be a factor. Without fans at games, players may feel more inclined to attempt things they would otherwise not have done in front of thousands of spectators.
Not only could the lack of fans lead to an increase in defensive mistakes, but it could also mean attacking players feel comfortable shooting more, without the risk of fans getting on their back.
It could be argued that the level of defending has also declined in recent years. Nowadays, instead of concentrating solely on keeping the ball out of the net, defenders are expected to be able to play.
A modern-day defender is required to be comfortable with the ball at his feet, and this has arguably led to less defenders focusing on their primary duties.
Everyone has their own opinions on why there have been so many goals in the Premier League this season, but at the end of the day, it is likely to be down to a number of different factors.
One thing’s for sure: from a neutral perspective, the 2020/21 Premier League campaign has been a joy to watch so far.
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