When a young player starts performing at a club, be it for their senior side or even just their U23s, other clubs will inevitably turn to look, and at West Ham the club’s young Nathan Holland has been in stellar form for the age group side, as he bagged twice on Monday for the U23s to continue his fine form.
The young winger has been given a chance in the senior side, but it came in awful style. Against Oxford United in the Carabao Cup, Holland was one of the few players that could come out of the tie with head held high after the Irons were battered 4-0 by the League One side.
At the age of 21-years-old, the youngster has got his whole career ahead of him, and the way he’s going this season is certainly impressive. In his last two games for the club’s U23 side, he’s scored three and assisted two, as per Transfermarkt, and that form has to be rewarded sooner or later.
It makes sense now more than ever to give him his chance too because of the shocking form that the rest of the options in Holland’s position in the West Ham first team have been displaying. Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini have been well below par this season, so surely giving Holland a chance isn’t that unheard of.
The Manchester-born former Everton youngster has been a great option for the Irons age-group sides, and it shouldn’t be long until Manuel Pellegrini takes the leap of faith with the winger. He’s done so with both Declan Rice and Ben Johnson, with both impressing, so it’s high time he does so again.
If Holland does come in, he won’t be under any pressure given his age, and if he doesn’t improve on the performances of Lanzini and Anderson he won’t be lambasted by the media or fans because of his age. Utilising the youngster is a free hit for Pellegrini and the Hammers, and it seems crazy that he might not get a look in.
