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Despite what the naysayers may believe, there is value to be found in the January transfer window. Just ask West Ham United, Axel Disasi a rock at the heart of Nuno Espirito Santo’s defence again in Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Fulham.
Since arriving from Chelsea on the final day of the winter market, Axel Disasi has helped the Hammers pick up eight points from a possible 15. As such, the gap to Tottenham and Nottingham Forest has closed with breakneck speed.
Three of West Ham United’s four Premier League clean sheets have come with Disasi in defence. Their points-per-game tally has risen from one to 1.6, while their goals conceded per game ratio has decreased from two to 1.4.
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Statistically speaking, of all the mid-season signings made by top-flight clubs, only Bournemouth sensation Rayan and Manchester City duo Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo have a better points-per-game record at their new clubs.
Talk about an instant impact.
Axel Disasi and Taty Castellanos have sparked West Ham United turnaround
Semenyo took his tally to 15 in the Premier League during Man City’s home draw with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
As a ‘magnificent’ Crysencio Summerville fired West Ham past Fulham some 190 miles south, City’s unexpected slip up scrubbed some of the shine off a huge Hammers victory.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Still, Semenyo and former Crystal Palace captain Guehi have helped Pep Guardiola’s title challengers accumulate 17 points since arriving from Bournemouth and Selhurst Park.
Guehi’s average of 2.4 points-per-game is the most of any January signing, with Semenyo a little further back because he played in that 2-0 loss at Man United.
Rayan completes the podium in third. His average of 1.66 points per game would be even higher had the £25 million signing from Vasco da Gama not rattled the post during the recent 0-0 draw with West Ham.
Coming in fourth and fifth, meanwhile, are Disasi and Taty Castellanos.
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Credit: Getty Images/Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar Castellanos’ impact summed up as Hammers stats emerge
Arriving some three weeks before the France international, Castellanos has helped West Ham pick up 14 points so far.
He has his critics – Tim Sherwood took aim at the Argentine a few days ago – but exactly half of the Hammers’ points have arrived with Castellanos on the pitch.
Averaging 1.55 points per game, Castellanos’ record places him just above Crystal Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen and ahead of Brighton’s prodigal son Pascal Gross.
Some say the January market is the refuge of the damned and the desperate.
Now, West Ham certainly looked damned and felt pretty desperate when the New Year celebrations fizzled out. But do not underestimate the impact a couple of astute additions can make to a team treading water.
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