West Ham academy star Nathan Holland continues to impress

If you’re not up to date on the West Ham U23 development squad this season let me fill you in: Nathan Holland is an absolute baller and keeps crushing it for the Hammers.

The latest notch on Holland’s belt came in a friendly with the Brentford B team last night, as West Ham traveled to Griffin Park to face off against the baby bees. The match didn’t start all that great, however, as Brentford went up early on an eight-minute goal.

I could feign intelligence and try to recap the game that I didn’t watch in person or online, (although I would have loved to tune in) because it wasn’t streamed or made public despite cameras being in attendance. Instead, let’s just focus on Nathan Holland’s beauty of a goal.

The left-winger carried the ball over half after picking up a long clearance and ran straight at his marking defender beating him with pure pace. Once into the opposition’s box he stutter-stepped to lose his marker, dribbled around the late man back, put the ball on his front foot and banged in a shot across the goal and over the diving keeper.

He posted the video from who I believe to be his agent on his Instagram story @nho11and if you don’t already follow him.

After denying a loan move last season, and pushing one away this year (up to this point, anyway), Nathan Holland is doing everything in his power to not only get Manuel Pellegrini’s attention but to force his hand and give him some first-team looks.

With the Hammers depth on the left side of the pitch thin, could there be a place for Holland in Cup squads or if an injury arises? I for one would be all on board with giving this clearly talented kid a run of matches to show if he can bring it at the highest level. All indications up to this point suggest West Ham have a hell of a player on their hands here.