I could understand the management wanting to loan him out for a year just to ensure he gets playing time. I'd be very surprised if he was sold, though.
Keep him. Quality goals, high work rate, 2 years experience of championship and still improving. Long season ahead and will no doubt get his chances to play.
Too much potential to just let him go because he isn't what we need right now. Loan him to a league one side.
I think he's good enough for a championship side tbh. One of the new teams in the division would take him i'm sure.
I thought he gave us much more energy when he came on yesterday. He chases and harries the opposition. He will only get better and I would be upset if we let him go. He also loves the club and gets involved in a lot of community work behind the scenes.
Yup he's good to have along. Some teams can make him look ineffective others can't get close to him, it a question of knowing which.
Wouldn't like to see him go. In the last season or so he has looked like he has bulked up and can now take on a few of the heavy weights in the championship.
Forza Watford!@forzawatford · 2m Reports in Italy suggest that Watford midfielder Cristian Battocchio is set to join Serie B side Virtus Entella
I find it very bizarre that we're letting him go but if we told him Munari would be above him in the pecking order maybe he wants to go and play regular football?
It's not as if he's a proven player either. I can't see him being of interest to clubs challenging for the top half and for those in the relegation fight, even the ones just promoted, I think he'd be too much of a risk.
LOL Italy U-21 not good enough then? He's a player we'd have only dreamed of before the Pozzos bought us.
If you think he's proven himself at this level then fair enough. But I'd argue Zola and Sannino disagree given he can't hold down a starting position. Given that fact I don't see why other Championship clubs would want him on loan and even if they did I don't see him playing enough to aid his development and satisfy Watford. As for the U21 thing. Really? Who cares? Youth honours have little to no correlation to senior club football. They're just baubles. Serie B clubs being in the offing says it all. Just to be clear though I'd rather he stayed.
On paper the squad Nani gave us last season should've done much, much better and for Batty to hold down a place was always going to be a big ask. Personally I'd say most teams in this league would be happy for such quality as back up and several for more than that... It appears we might be getting a tad spoilt in our thinking.
Personally I don't think he is proven at this level. What he HAS proved is he's willing to work hard, is a good team player and can score some exquisite goals. He hasn't got as much game-time as he wanted here because central midfield is one of our strongest areas (must be tough trying to force Abdi, Tozser, McGugan, Chalobah), although he started most of the games for us last season (started 21 times!) so Sannino must rate him. Whilst he may not be good enough for our midfield this season, he'd walk into the midfield of teams like Birmingham, Ipswich, Blackburn etc.
Agreed, I felt it was no co-incidence that our improved results (at home anyway) came about because CB had a decent run in the team.
Scott Loach was an England u-21. Not a guarantee of ability. Many u-21s don't go on to fulfil their potential and likewise many who didn't make u-21s develop into better payers. But I also don't want Battochio to leave!
I think Battochio has proven he's more than good enough for this league. The fact he isn't a first choice starter here doesn't mean he isn't good enough for the division. Not being able to completely displace Abdi, Tozser and co. doesn't make you a bad player at our level. Despite that midfield competition he still started over 20 games last season (35 games including sub appearances) and scored 4 times (all of them good goals). Not bad for a 22 year old.
Would be a real weird one to let go ... Has played well and looked promising, surely it would be a loan rather than a sale??? Could understand a loan!
Never let him leave. [video=youtube;nBm88QL7zao]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBm88QL7zao&list=UULfFIU2kUcB5TZykvNCQpUQ[/video]
Bye Batto :sad1: Let's hope he comes back and this is just a move to get him regular football. But if he's surplus to requirements this season and we get promoted then I can't see him coming back here :sad2:
"Thank you very much #WatfordFC Two years fantastic ! ❤️ Thanks ! http://instagram.com/p/sHxWlOwwmk/" https://twitter.com/Batto_7 I have to say If he's going then I'm sad to see him leave, the guy is so good surely we could just loan him out!!
Just basically confirmed he's leaving, thanked the fans & team mates for a fantastic 2 years at Watford.
