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They say the best ability is ‘availability’, but the second-best must be ‘reliability’. Axel Disasi, another 90 minutes and another clean sheet, is ticking both boxes since joining West Ham United on loan from Chelsea.
Stamford Bridge legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had concerns about Disasi’s transfer on the final day of the transfer window, and he wasn’t the only one.
Having played only reserve team football in the first half of the campaign, and having not played a Premier League match since April 2025, how long would it take for Axel Disasi to get up to speed again?
So close yet so far… 😮💨
What did you make of the stalemate with Bournemouth?
Those questioning the logic of West Ham United parachuting in a centre-half without a league minute in 10 months needn’t have worried.
On a day when Disasi was labelled the ‘no-nonsense defender West Ham needed for two years’ – the closest thing they have had to a prime-time Kurt Zouma – Chelsea’s remaining centre-halves were so brutally bad in a 1-1 draw with Burnley that some are even pining for the forgotten man of West London.
Chelsea fans are wondering why West Ham United loanee Axel Disasi was bombed out
Captain Jarrod Bowen says Disasi has brought ‘a real presence’ to the London Stadium. It is no coincidence that three of their four clean sheets in 2025/26 have come with him on the pitch.
Disasi was not called upon too much against a Bournemouth side who finished with an XG of 0.7 on Saturday. But what he did have to do, the France international did with the sort of commanding composure the Hammers fans have quickly become accustomed to.
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
‘Composure’ is not a word that could be used to describe Wesley Fofana’s performance earlier in the day. The £70 million defender – who somehow manages to escape those ‘worst signing’ debates – saw red with a reckless challenge on West Ham loanee James Ward-Prowse.
Deep into stoppage time, Ward-Prowse provided his first Burnley assist against the ten men. A trademark, ‘whip it like Ward-Prowse’ corner converted by Zian Flemming as Tosin Adarabioyo – another of the centre-halves who moved above Disasi in the pecking order – stood idly by.
“Disasi is actually better than Tosin,” one irate Chelsea supporter fumed on X after two invaluable points were tossed away in the Champions League race. “How can he be the third choice for any manager. Have they not watched him play for us before? [Tosin] could be one of our worst ever free transfers.
“Bring back Disasi for me,” another says on an afternoon when his faultless performance would stand in stark contrast to the blunders at the Bridge. “What are these atrocities my defence is committing?”
“I’ve never seen a guy who is 6ft5 get beat in the air so much. Just because you’re tall, it doesn’t mean you can’t jump.
“If Disasi got put in the bomb squad, this guy should be chucked into a volcano!”
“Pure insanity that we banished Disasi but kept putting [Tosin] into games.”
“He’s so unreliable. He doesn’t help himself at all and it’s obvious he’ll be amongst the players out the door in the summer. Disasi is better than that Tosin guy.”
The centre-back colossus we’ve been praying for! 🙏 🇫🇷
How highly do you rate Axel Disasi?
Jarrod Bowen hails Disasi impact after Bournemouth stalemate
On the evidence of his first few weeks at West Ham, it does feel pretty bizarre that Enzo Maresca was so keen to banish Disasi into the bomb squad while persisting with the always-unconvincing Tosin, an injury-prone Fofana, and unproven youngsters like Jorrel Hato.
To think, if it wasn’t for Benjamin Sesko’s 96th minute brilliance, West Ham and Disasi would be on a run of four successive clean sheets in all competitions. Remarkable, really, considering they had gone 22 games without one before beating Burnley at Turf Moor.
Disasi’s debut, lest we forget.
“You know what it’s like in this league,” Bowen told Sky Sports after a 0-0 draw with Bournemouth which West Ham shaded. “You can’t expect to score two or three goals every week and pick up results. We knew we needed to improve and change.
And I think Axel has come in and been a really big presence.
“We tweaked a couple of things tactically and we look a lot better. Defending starts from the number nine and goes to the wingers, midfielders, and defenders. We seem to be in a better structure.
“Today, we could have nicked one and won 1-0.”
The Hammers have also conceded only four set-piece goals in 15 matches after letting in nine in nine at the start of the season.
“Disasi did well today. [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka at right-back was excellent,” Jamie Redknapp said in the Sky studio.
“There are things I like about West Ham at the moment. I talk about defensively because, earlier in the season, they were conceding goals. They look more of a menace now from set-pieces, both for and against.”
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