From the moment Joao Pedro pulled a goal back just before the hour mark, there was an air of inevitability about West Ham’s 3-2 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday.
The second-half capitulation at Stamford Bridge was the Hammers’ 21st consecutive league game without a clean sheet – the joint worst record in Europe’s top five leagues.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side led 2-0 at half-time but all of their good work in the opening period was undone by another feeble defensive showing after the break.
The Irons moved to address that problem on transfer deadline day with the signing of France international centre-back Axel Disasi, who joins on loan from Saturday’s opponents Chelsea.
Given that he hasn’t played a senior game this season, Disasi doesn’t feel like an entirely convincing solution to the well-documented defensive woes at London Stadium.
The 27-year-old’s last appearance in a Chelsea shirt came on 20 January 2025 before he was demoted to the Blues’ so-called ‘bomb squad’ under Enzo Maresca. A loan spell at Aston Villa followed, during which he played 10 times.
Crucially, for a club involved in a relegation battle, Disasi has less Premier League experience than West Ham’s existing central defensive options of Max Kilman, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Jean-Clair Todibo, who will be suspended for at least three matches after his stoppage-time red card for violent conduct on Saturday.
There is evidence Disasi is better on the ball than that trio – although the data may be skewed from playing in better teams – but what the Hammers desperately need is steel and organisation to mend the league’s worst defence.
That’s not to say the Frenchman, who came on as an extra-time substitute in the 2022 World Cup final, can’t provide those qualities and fulfil the promise he showed at Reims and Monaco; talent that convinced Chelsea to shell out £38.5m for him in August 2023.
So, over to you… how happy are you with the signing of Disasi? Will he improve the Hammers’ defence and help keep Nuno’s side up?
Get in touch with your views here
