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Arsenal: Top 5 pros and cons to Axel Disasi

By Andrew Dowdeswell

PARIS, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 25: Axel Disasi #6 of Stade de Reims celebrates the victory of the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Stade Reims at Parc des Princes on September 25, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 25: Axel Disasi #6 of Stade de Reims celebrates the victory of the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Stade Reims at Parc des Princes on September 25, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images) /
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Strasbourg’s French forward Ludovic Ajorque (R) fights for the ball with Reims’ French defender Axel Disasi, Disasiduring the French L1 football match between Strasbourg (RCSA) and Reims (SR), on February 9 , 2020 at the Meinau stadium in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images)
Strasbourg’s French forward Ludovic Ajorque (R) fights for the ball with Reims’ French defender Axel Disasi, Disasiduring the French L1 football match between Strasbourg (RCSA) and Reims (SR), on February 9 , 2020 at the Meinau stadium in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images) /

Con: He goes to ground too often

One of the immediate things you will notice when watching Disasi over an extended period of time is his propensity to go to ground. His aggressive decision-making often means that he believes he can always win the ball, stepping out of his defensive position to commit the attacker. As you can tell, this leads to an obvious result: a lot of slide tackles.

Now, Disasi is an excellent slide tackler. He times his challenges brilliantly and recognises how to be both clinical and conservative, not charging rashly into tackles and yet not standing off too cautiously either. But the frequency with which he does it is concerning, and it does not lend to a successful style in the Premier League.

Shkodran Mustafi was a similarly slide-tackle-heavy defender. He is aggressive in his decision-making, too, and there is certainly an element of the German in Disasi’s style. Mustafi is close to being a superb defender, but he leans too far into his aggressive nature and falls foul off it. At 22, Disasi has time to develop and fine-tune his approach, but he will not be successful in England if he goes to ground as often as he does.

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