Disasi Signs | First Interview and Player Analysis

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West Ham have confirmed the loan signing of Axel Disasi from Chelsea until the end of the season. After initially earning a move to west London thanks to his fantastic form with AS Monaco, the French defender will hope to quickly recapture that level as he crosses the capital to help Nuno Espírito Santo’s team throughout the second half of this season.

While Disasi’s challenges at Chelsea may initially seem concerning, Hammers fans will remember the success Kurt Zouma had in Claret and Blue after leaving the Blues in 2021 due to his own lack of consistent game time. Zouma wasn’t the first, nor the last, to blossom after leaving Stamford Bridge either. Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah confirmed their status as two of the world’s best players after their time at Chelsea and West Ham benefited again when Emerson also made the move across London, with the Italy international joining Zouma in the West Ham side that won the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The current Chelsea squad is stacked with talent at centre-back. Recent Africa Cup of Nations winner Mamadou Sarr has played the first half of the season out on loan with Strasbourg, while other young talents like Aarón Anselmino and Josh Acheampong have also struggled to break in and take a consistent first-team spot. Even Disasi’s former Monaco centre-back partner, Benoît Badiashile, hasn’t been able to nail down a permanent place in the team after he was also signed following the pair’s success together on the French Riviera.

Returning to Disasi’s first season in the Premier League to assess the data, the Frenchman’s impact on the ball immediately becomes apparent. Disasi ranked in the top 19% of Premier League centre-backs for progressive carries (1.37 per 90) and in the top 28% for progressive passes (7.94 per 90), showing his ability as a two-way progressor of play from central defence. Having starred for one of Ligue 1’s most dominant sides before joining Chelsea, Disasi has years of experience of being a playmaker for his side from defence, evolving in these conditions to become a positive initiator of attacks.

One of his strongest traits in build-up is his direct carrying, racing into gaps left by pressing opposition players and dribbling through tight spaces before supplying dangerous passes into the wingers. When on loan at Aston Villa last season, Disasi also showed a clear understanding of the importance of controlling the tempo in build-up, slowing down to bait overcommitments before bisecting the first line of opposition pressure with passes inside the opposition block. Disasi’s accuracy on the ball is also unquestionable as he ranked in the top 15% of Premier League centre-backs for overall pass completion (92.6%) in the 2023/24 season, matching this relative level of success when attempting to break lines and progress play (77.3%).

In defence, Disasi’s physical qualities stand out above others. The Frenchman is a giant at the back and uses his height and strength to enable a good level of success in aerial duels (58.8%, top 34%), regularly winning battles against strikers as soon as he is able to draw them into a physical duel. His speed is also an underappreciated part of his profile. Over his time with both Chelsea and Villa, he has proven himself capable of racing back to make vital interventions and stop forwards from playing dangerous cutbacks or taking shots when one-on-one against the keeper. He recorded 0.27 sliding tackles per 90 (top 50%) in the 2023/24 season, but the data doesn’t truly capture his ability to cover wide space in behind, where he consistently makes vital recoveries when the full-back is beaten or caught too high in transition.

As a former vice-captain of Monaco and one of the 18 French players to feature in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, Disasi brings experience and leadership to the West Ham squad. These are vital qualities for Nuno’s side and will prove crucial at the back, when the team finds itself under pressure needing to defend a lead or hold out through a period of intense pressure. Like Nuno, Disasi also knows how to help his team exceed expectations and make extraordinary achievements. Before joining Monaco, it was his impressive partnership at the back with Stade de Reims stalwart, Yunis Abdelhamid, that helped Les Rouge et Blancs to a fifth-placed finish, their best performance in the league over the last 50 years.

Finally, Disasi also brings flexibility. Having featured as both a right-back and a centre-back across his career, the 27-year-old is more than capable of filling two positions in the backline and adding his physically aggressive defensive approach wherever the manager requires it. As Jean-Clair Todibo is currently suspended, Disasi will hope to hit the ground running and help Nuno’s side sustain this run of positive performances against Burnley this weekend, where the Frenchman’s incisive on-ball contributions could prove the crucial difference-maker, converting performance into points.

[honky cat]

I read about him messing us about at the eleventh hour and called him out. I thought he sounded like a cսnt.

To be fair, west ham had the whole of january to get him on board. So if they left it until the last minute, anyone would fuck them off to voicemail for a day or two, and try to hang out for a few more quid.
But yeah im happy he's here now.

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[Pub Bigot]

Knew nothing about him, wasn’t inspired when he signed, but he’s looked solid since he’s played. 

Does keep his place though? Would be hard to justify dropping Dinos who has certainly turned a corner. 

[Iron Duke]

I read about him messing us about at the eleventh hour and called him out. I thought he sounded like a cսnt, not a team player, and not what we needed. From what I’ve seen so far, he is exactly what we needed. A proper defender, a leader at the back, and a warrior. I’m happy to be proved wrong. Of course, it could still all change and he turns out to be a cսnt after all. But I’ve got a feeling that the fans have taken to him and he is happy to be here.

[onsideman]

Just watched his Ironworks interview on YouTube a very likeable bloke 

 

Those vids are too cringe for me, but since we're giving ourselves pats on backs about earlier predictions, I stated that I felt this fella would be a good signing. Some had written him off before he was even asked if he liked jellied eels or not.

Yep, guilty as charged I reckon. An opinion probably based almost entirely upon one freak, but nonetheless ridiculous, own goal

i hope I become Craig Dawson levels of wrong

[fraser]

Some were furious that we signed him and not Harwood Bellis. 

[Manuel]

Just watched his Ironworks interview on YouTube a very likeable bloke 

 

 

Those vids are too cringe for me, but since we're giving ourselves pats on backs about earlier predictions, I stated that I felt this fella would be a good signing. Some had written him off before he was even asked if he liked jellied eels or not.

[Mr Anon]

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Few people look rather silly now over on the transfer thread, completely wrote him off with confidence. 

[fraser]

Just watched his Ironworks interview on YouTube a very likeable bloke 

[Jean-Luc Paul Goddard]

Yeah, he looked fine. Mind you, the way we set up and the way Burney played I don't think we'd have even noticed if he was missing a yard of pace from not being match fit. A good game for him to start off with.

[Manuel]

He'll have bigger tests but looks like some of the WHO physio's were wrong that he wouldn't be ready. He's certainly a lump.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Solid display from him even if not against top opposition, he looks exactly what we need. 

Yep..he did well tbf..

[fraser]

Solid display from him even if not against top opposition, he looks exactly what we need. 

[Westham67]

Some posters never admit to being wrong, so that's big of hanky cat to do so. If we can stop conceding from set pieces and speculative lofted crosses into the box, we have the attacking nous to win games or draw games we would normally lose

[Mad Ferret]

Mavropanos and Kilman for this one. Chucking Disasi straight in from the start in a new Team having just arrived with zero Premier League playing time since April last year is asking for trouble. Off the bench in the 2nd half would make more sense for tired legs, if he does make an appearance. 

Shows how much you know.

[nychammer]

nice to see a last minute signing come in and slot right in the side for 90 mins. Made a difference for sure. 

[Keep dreaming]

Early days, but he seen to position himself like a defender.
Looked decent, and far far better than Kilman

[honky cat]

On one of the other threads i said he'd be shit. 

Id like to take that back. Hes alright. A big no nonsense lump, in the mould of daws and zouma.

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[Westham67]

My stream was not the best, but having a clean sheet for the first time in a long time, he must have some influence in that, playing the full 90 minutes

[Massive Attack]

Mavropanos and Kilman for this one. Chucking Disasi straight in from the start in a new Team having just arrived with zero Premier League playing time since April last year is asking for trouble. Off the bench in the 2nd half would make more sense for tired legs, if he does make an appearance. 

[Matt Holmes]

Get him in

Unfit doesn’t get fit by sitting on the bench.

[El Scorchio]

It will all cone down to hiw quickly he can get 100% fit. Some players take 3-5 games or more.  We have the FA cup tie so seems smart to give him that 90 mins. 

 

Bit of a blessing, that game. Soaks up one of Todibo's suspension games (Haven't heard it's going to be extended to more than 3?) and it'll be good for Disasi. Be nice if Pablo could get a goal as well.

[Tomshardware]

I'd take a half fit Disasi over Kilman at the moment.

[Sir Alf]

It will all cone down to hiw quickly he can get 100% fit. Some players take 3-5 games or more.  We have the FA cup tie so seems smart to give him that 90 mins. 

[Mex Martillo]

Welcome Axel
From Alan's video he can defend, pass the ball and score!
What can possibly go wrong?

[Keep dreaming]

I saw his first training video, he's a lump

Sounds like an upgrade on Kilman then