"He still has some bad habits" - William Gallas says Chelsea summer signing ‘wasn’t ready’ for Premier League move

Former Chelsea star William Gallas has cast doubts over the Premier League preparedness of the Blues' summer acquisition Axel Disasi. The 25-year-old defender transferred to Chelsea from Monaco for £38.8 million last month.

While Disasi has been a mainstay in the starting lineup, playing all five of Chelsea's games this season, Gallas believes that the young player has a steep learning curve ahead. Disasi did score during his inaugural game against Liverpool, but that remains a bright spot in a mixed start.

The only time Mauricio Pochettino's men didn't concede a goal with him on the field was against Luton Town, a freshly promoted squad. In contrast, Chelsea faltered against West Ham, allowing three goals, and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Even though the Blues dominate the ball, their defense has been porous, raising questions about Disasi's suitability for the English top-flight football. Gallas openly expressed his reservations in an interview with Gambling Zone, stating (via Metro):

"I was one of the guys who didn’t understand why Disasi joined Chelsea. The Premier League is a different league in terms of difficulty. Even though he is a physical player he has to understand strikers will be very strong when they challenge him."

Gallas also commented on the learning opportunity Disasi has by playing next to veteran defender Thiago Silva:

"He has to improve a lot, but he has the opportunity to play alongside Thiago Silva and he has to learn from him, speak to him a lot, and Silva can help him move to the next step."

"Even though he has joined Chelsea it doesn’t mean he is completely ready. He still has some bad habits and he has to change them. That’s why when I saw his name, I thought he was not ready to join Chelsea."

Gallas also stressed that it was too early to pass judgment on the young defender:

"But you have to give him time to settle into a new country, new players and a new club. You have to give him time. When you have a foreign player who joins the Premier League you have to at least give them one year."

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Mauricio Pochettino displeased with Moises Caicedo's costly error in Chelsea's home loss

Following a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino didn't mince words about the mistake committed by Moises Caicedo. The encounter's lone goal, netted by Anthony Elanga in the 48th minute, showcased a lapse in judgment on Caicedo's part.

In the buildup to the goal, Caicedo found himself in control of the ball within his half of the pitch. Unfortunately, a poor touch led to his dispossession, paving the way for Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi to seize the opportunity. Awoniyi played a decisive through ball to Elanga, setting up the Swedish striker for the crucial finish.

A frustrated Pochettino commented post-match (via Metro):

“We made one mistake and we cannot make it. That is why we feel really disappointed. Football is about not making mistakes. We made one mistake and we paid for that."

The Blues, despite boasting impressive squad depth after adding talents like Axel Disasi and Moises Caicedo, still find themselves vulnerable when individual errors come into play.