We ain’t afraid of no ghosts. In fact, we seek them – ghost points, that is. Ghost points are fantasy points that do not come from attacking returns or clean sheets. These can come in the form of key passes, successful dribbles, interceptions, accurate crosses, and aerials, among others. Identifying these points is essential for your Fantasy EPL prospects, and our Gameweek 11 Ghost Point Hunters article is here to help!
This Ghost Point Hunters article is based on the Fantrax Scoring System. Check out our Ghost Point Tracker page for the full list of Fantasy EPL players and their respective Ghost Point capabilities!
Gameweek 11 Ghost Point Hunters
Halloween is over but ghosts remain. Let's find them before the actually scary international break is here. This week, we're looking at Michael Keane, Moussa Sissoko, & Charlie Taylor/Matthew Lowton. Finally, Allan Saint-Maximin is the 2nd least likely recipient (Adama was last week) of the Dr. Peter Venkman Award.
Michael Keane
Position: Defender
Team: Everton
Rostered: 95%
Ghost Points Per 90: 11.1
Ghost Points This Past GW: 17
Prospects: Has started all 10 games at the back. As nailed on as you can get and matchup-proof.
Verdict: Used to be hit or miss but has been a consistent ghoster this season. Despite the tough schedule, he is a trade in target because of this ghost floor. Try a name brand like Tarkowski +1 or a MID4 + DEF 2.
Looks like GPH highlighted the wrong Everton defender last week, as Digne was nowhere to be found on Monday v Wolves. But big Michael Keane certainly showed up. Sure, he may not be what some might call a "good defender". And, no, that wasn't an assist against Wolves (yes, this ghost - the bad kind - assist cost the author his GW). Having said all that, the guy is ghosting out of his skin, averaging over 11 scary scores per start. Keane told his most recent ghost story at Molineux on Monday, dropping 17 ghosts, in addition to his nonexistent assist. His ghosts came from the following: 1 Key Pass, 1 Shot on Target, 4 Tackles Won, 3 Interceptions, 4 Clearances, & 1 Successful Dribble (How? He has the turning radius of a freight truck/Harry Maguire). Keane is still somewhat under the radar and, despite the big score, could still be attainable. Play up the difficult schedule and the fact that it's Michael Keane. Then let go and let ghost.
Moussa Sissoko
Position: Midfielder
Team: Watford
Rostered: 13%
Ghost Points Per 90: 7.5
Ghost Points This Past GW: 14
Prospects: Seems to be a regular starter even with the new manager. Up and down but a good streaming punt.
Verdict: Pick him up and stream when in need of a MID.
Sissoko has done it again. The mercurial former Spud has posted double digit ghosts out of nowhere, this time delivering 14 ghosties against Southampton in an overall drab performance by his Watford squad. These ghosts stemmed from a variety of sources: 1 Key Pass, 2 Tackles Won, 4 Interceptions, 2 Clearances, 4 Successful Dribbles, 1 Blocked Shot, & 2 Aerials. Good stuff, right? Yes, we've seen this before. But what we haven't seen is a string of successful ghostly performances a la Mainsley (Matthias Antonsen Normann). You see, Sissoko has been on a long stretch of putting in ghost point shifts every other match - going double digits one week then 3-5 points the next. To illustrate this point, here are his total point scores from the past six starts (beginning with the most recent): 14, 5, 12, 3, 11.5, & 3. Based on this logic, he is due for a stinker this week and then rebirth in GW12. This is all to say that Sissoko has it in his locker to be a tidy streaming option in a position (MID) that can be tricky to fill some GWs. Keep that in mind moving forward.
Charlie Taylor/Matthew Lowton
Position: Defenders
Team: Burnley
Rostered: 32% & 31%
Ghost Points Per 90: 10.6 & 8.2
Ghost Points This Past GW: 11.75 & 11.25
Prospects: With Cornet playing further afield, these two are in no danger of losing their fullback spots.
Verdict: Reliable "break the glass when emergency" options when in need of DEF streamers.
Has anyone ever seen these two in the same room? Convinced that they're the same person, especially after seeing their stats, the GPH decided to include Charlie Taylor & Matthew Lowton in a 2 for 1 this week. The Burnley brothers combined for over 40 points without a cleansheet this past gameweek. One assisted the other for a goal. On the ghost point front, Taylor & Lowton had nearly identical scores of just over 11 scary scores - an amalgamation of Accurate Crosses Not Corners (they're known for these given the attacking philosophy is to lump the ball into the box), Tackles Won, Interceptions, Clearances, & Aerials. Taylor & Lowton have long been known as decent defensive streamers, especially when down big and it's hail mary time. The ghost point floor can combine with attacking returns and/or clean sheets. They have maintained this image, reinforced this past gameweek, despite the dearth of Burnley clean sheets. Taylor is preferable given the better ghost point average but Lowton is usually more capable of snatching an attacking return. Pick your poison. They will continue to be handy when you're in a jam; keep that in your back pocket as the season progresses.
Honorable Mention:
Rayan Ait Nouri (Wolves DEF; 10.25 Ghosts): This is the RAN we hyped pre-draft. Finally coming into his own in the LB spot with Marcal's injury, RAN is taking some set pieces (got his assist from a well-taken corner) and showing some ghostly habits. If Wolves can shore up their defense and get cleanies, look out.
Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool DEF; 10.75 Ghosts): Similar to RAN, Konate has taken over a starting role in the past two weeks, supplanting Matip. He followed up a cleansheet with some tasty ghosts over the weekend despite conceding two goals to Brighton. One to watch.
Emerson Royal (Tottenham DEF; 12.75 Ghosts): The lone bright spot in the 3 nil hammering over the weekend. Royal still posted a decent score of 6.75, with over a dozen ghosts counteracting the goals conceded. With the arrival of the wingback Yoda, Antonio Conte, Royal should benefit greatly if he keeps his spot in the XI.
Dr. Peter Venkman Award:
Allan Saint-Maximin (MID, Newcastle): For the second week in a row, yours truly is forced to highlight a ghost point legend. This time, it is ASM, who is the literally the poster child for the Ghost Point Tracker and about as consistent a ghoster as they come. But the numbers are the numbers, and his past two gameweeks have tied the GPH's hand. In fact, the past few GWs (3.5 ghosties in GW10 and 2 in GW9) have dropped him from the top 10 to #50 in the Ghost Point Tracker, leaving him with a ghost point per start average of 9. This is still nothing to scoff at but certainly below his lofty standards. What gives? This drop-off has coincided with the change of manager in Tyneside. ASM, as it turns out, was one of the few beneficiaries of Steve Bruce's tutelage. He seems to have lost his free-floating role under the new manager and has had a few tough matchups versus Palace and Chelsea. He has built up enough credit in the Ghost Bank over the years for us to predict that this is temporary speed bump. ASM is likely to regain his ghosting verve under a new manager, thus making him a buy low candidate right now.
***Click here to view the full Ghost Point Tracker table!***
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