West Ham U23’s need to be rewarded as first team flounder

As uncertainty about a once-believed soft schedule mounts for West Ham’s senior team, their U23 development squad has excelled. It’s time for the kids to get rewarded.

The senior team has lost two matches on the bounce, sandwiching a tumultuous international break for West Ham. With losses to Crystal Palace at home and Everton away, questions are being asked of the first team’s mentality and desire when it comes to mid-table teams.

It seems like the perfect opportunity for Manuel Pellegrini to reward those who have been performing for the Hammers on the U23 team with first-team opportunities. A few names top the list in, coincidentally, areas of need for the first team.

Nathan Holland

First up, Nathan Holland. The sparkplug for the U23s, Holland is the do-all player who resides on the left-wing and drives almost all of his team’s offense. Holland, 21, is the academy’s top prospect and has shown his determination to crack the first team by denying the opportunity for loans away from the club on multiple occasions.

Currently this season he sits second in PL2 scoring, behind teammate Anthony Scully, with six goals on the year thus far. Without a backup left-winger (including Masuaku), the first team could use Holland to offer a reprieve for Felipe Anderson off the bench.

Anthony Scully

PL2’s top scorer Anthony Scully has come out of nowhere with his booming start to this season for the development team. With eight goals in six matches across all competitions this season, Scully has eclipsed his goal total from every season prior in his young career by a long shot and doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

He took the opportunity provided to him from outgoing loanee’s from the Hammers’ U23 team, as well as injuries, and has slotted in at striker from his former left-wing position not looking back for a second. He is a natural finisher and makes life easy for Holland and Dan Kemp by always being in the right place at the right time.

Conor Coventry

Lastly, we have the unsung hero from the development squad, defensive midfielder Conor Coventry. The U21 Republic of Ireland international has been stalwart in the Hammers’ defense this season playing in seven matches, four of which have been clean sheets.

His calmness on the ball has impressed onlookers and earned him his place in the international team for Ireland, where he recently earned man of the match honors for their 0-0 draw with Italy’s U21 squad. He’s the heir apparent to Mark Noble right now and should be selected at every opportunity over Carlos Sanchez.

How Manuel Pellegrini has been using academy players should come under scrutiny right now. Instead of injecting these players in Cup draws with second-tier players like Carlos Sanchez and Robert Snodgrass, drip feed them in Premier League matches in structured situations with first-team players.

It’s clear that deadwood still needs to be removed from the first team, why not kick-start the process by dropping players who don’t have a future with the club for players who can use Premier League minutes for their own development? Perhaps it’s time for Pellegrini to change his approach to something that helps the team now and for the future?