Ever since moving to the London Stadium, West Ham have struggled to find their rhythm and it’s also appeared that the Hammers have, rather understandably, lost a part of their identity after leaving Upton Park.
Slaven Bilic’s side spent the majority of last season flirting with relegation, before enjoying an upturn in form towards the back-end of the campaign, and this season has started with similar issues- as the Hammers currently sit two points above the drop-zone.
Crucial matches against Brighton and Crystal Palace are on the horizon, where victories will see the Hammers climb the standings whilst defeats could see them dragged into the mud and potentially spell the end of Bilic’s tenure, but there are still some positives.
West Ham pride themselves in being a haven for young talent, and for developing some fine young prospects that go on to become stars in the senior side or elsewhere in the Premier League, and there’s a fresh batch of youngsters waiting behind the scenes for their chance.
All the talk this week has largely orientated around Toni Martinez, after the 20-year-old forward netted a hat-trick against Manchester United in an U23 match this weekend and became the first West Ham player to score three goals at the London Stadium in the process.
However, he’s not the only player banging on the door for a first-team opportunity and Nathan Holland, who made his senior debut earlier this season against Bolton Wanderers, and he may feel he deserves a chance in the upcoming Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
Playing against the Lilywhites would certainly be a step-up but Holland, who joined the club from Everton in 2016, certainly deserves his chance and it’s the breath of fresh air that could provide the revival for Bilic’s side.
The difficulty is that Holland is behind Marko Arnautovic in the pecking order, with West Ham unlikely to drop their record-signing anytime soon, and Bilic certainly made a mistake in the Austrian’s absence when he elected to move Javier Hernandez out wide on the left.
Holland, just 19, is likely to have a slow development though and that’s understandable. However, given his form, he certainly deserves a chance and the Hammers should have learned their lesson with Reece Oxford, who bizarrely continues to be shipped out on-loan despite his promising showings in the first-team.
Patience is key for a player of Holland’s age but he’s highly-rated behind the scenes and his talents cannot be ignored, particularly if he is handed a chance in the cup against Spurs and snatches his opportunity with both hands.
