During an evening of football in which the world was focused on the Champions League clashes between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool in Spain and Borussia Dortmund and PSG in Germany on Tuesday, there was one game that a few West ham fans will have been keeping a keen eye on, as Oxford United hosted Wimbledon.
One of just two League One games being played on Tuesday evening, the Hammers will have been keen to see how their young loanee Nathan Holland got on as he made his eighth appearance for the Kassam Stadium faithful in League One, and he grabbed his first league goals in the clash.
Karl Robinson’s side recorded a smashing 5-0 win over the Dons (BBC), and Holland was responsible for two of those strikes, adding to the one he bagged against Newcastle in the FA Cup to take his tally to three senior goals during this current loan spell, and of his career, to date (Transfermarkt).
This will certainly have made for good reading for the Irons. Holland is one who the fans have been keen to get fast-tracked into their senior team as soon as possible, and whilst this loan to Oxford United has stopped that happening, it’s given the youngster a chance to showcase his talents in the EFL.
He’s not disappointing either, the 21-year-old bagged 12 goals and six assists in 13 games whilst playing for West Ham in the Premier League 2, but playing senior football is better for him, and Holland is already showing that he can handle the level, which is something the fans will love.
Should Nathan Holland have been loaned?
Yes
No
The next step will be for Holland to string together some more goalscoring performances and then return to the London Stadium in the summer and make a case to be a regular in the squad, and given his form and obvious talent, you wouldn’t bet against the winger.
