Hornets trio go head-to-head on international stage (From Watford Observer)

Wish we could have a proper Look at Battochio. He's clearly highly regarded.

He's our secret weapon, he'll give us another dimension when he's finally unleashed!

GZ is very keen of a British core to his team and seems fairly content with the match day 20. I am certain anyone pulling up trees in training will get the nod. What a Luxury, we haven't had for years.

GZ is very keen of a British core to his team and seems fairly content with the match day 20. I am certain anyone pulling up trees in training will get the nod. What a Luxury, we haven't had for years.

Hopemole wrote:
Wish we could have a proper Look at Battochio. He's clearly highly regarded.

From a distance he looks very similar to FF in height and build. I therefore believe it is very similar situation as to when we sold Luther to AC Milan and they thought they were getting John Barnes. We are holding him in reserve to pass on at an inflated fee instead of letting our new found gem ever leave.

I expect we'll see him before long. He's only a baby.....plenty of time for him to develop.

Yeah I hope to see Battochino soon, I think in the next few weeks we may see more of him!
With Eustace, Bauban, Battochino and Mugi Bai all yet to really feature this season come the new year our Midfield looks solid with class and options.
Also with Neauton and Nosworthy to come back our Defence looks good too!
Maybe in January we may see Franchone, Belkeck and Anya return to there clubs and Uwelumo, Yeates sold along with some of the already loaned players!

Yes it's great to have all this quality choice as long it is used wisely to create a team which can be even greater than the sum of its parts as Sean Dyche showed us.We have the potential to be amazing if this happens. Still looking for someone to naturally hold the ball up front and lay it off a la Ross Jenkins. We have so much in reserve too. Thought Fanchone was decent against Blackburn. I do wish our fans would re evaluate our old players in the light of Zola's new style. Yeats has been so much better since he arrived and growing in confidence as his superb goal against Leeds showed. The future on all fronts looks as good as I can remember it and I remember the first GT era very well. GT had strong views on how a club should conduct itself and I was amazed and gladdened to see Udinese has an ethics policy published on their website. I think our club's ethos should suit the Pozzos. Never seen anything like that before.I only hope Zola realises John Eustaces's quality. he was majestic against Tottenham last year and even Harry said he ran the show. Yet Gianfranco couldn't even remember his name at the fans forum- a tad worrying!

Will Hodson ever turn out for the Golden Boys again? I suspect he may be surplus to requirements now.

I can't see Hodson getting a game this season if we stick to our 3-5-2 system as we have too many better players ahead of him!
I hope Zola sends him out on loan to a league 1 side that are pushing for a top 6 finish and that he'll play regular till the end of the season as he still has something to offer us!
Yes Yeates has improved but of what I can honestly see Abdi, Hogg, Eustace, Murray, Bauban, Mungi Bai and Vydra are all ahead of him in terms of ability and with Geijo, Deeney, Forestieri and Bottachino that's 11 better players without the defence and goalies to pick from ie Almunia, Bond, Nosworthy, Hoban, Cassetti, Doyley, Neuton, Ekstrand, Smith, Hall... That's 21 players in my eyes that are better than Yeates! Hence why I think he will go eventually!
Yep nice goal against Leeds but for me he is gready at times and tries to shoot from an impossible angle or make the wrong pass at crucial points of the game!

DuffmanWFC wrote:
I can't see Hodson getting a game this season if we stick to our 3-5-2 system as we have too many better players ahead of him! I hope Zola sends him out on loan to a league 1 side that are pushing for a top 6 finish and that he'll play regular till the end of the season as he still has something to offer us! Yes Yeates has improved but of what I can honestly see Abdi, Hogg, Eustace, Murray, Bauban, Mungi Bai and Vydra are all ahead of him in terms of ability and with Geijo, Deeney, Forestieri and Bottachino that's 11 better players without the defence and goalies to pick from ie Almunia, Bond, Nosworthy, Hoban, Cassetti, Doyley, Neuton, Ekstrand, Smith, Hall... That's 21 players in my eyes that are better than Yeates! Hence why I think he will go eventually! Yep nice goal against Leeds but for me he is gready at times and tries to shoot from an impossible angle or make the wrong pass at crucial points of the game!

Duffman I disagree. I echo what Hopemole says about Yeates, he has improved a great deal under Zola and playing in a more central role. The abuse of Yeates is a typical example of band-waggon jumping and there are a lot of Hillbillies on this site. I will admit that his decision making is suspect at times however he is a goal creator.
Those who are unable to see his improvement are blinkered. Dont get me wrong, he is no world beater and not a definite starter but he does offer us something. Personally I would put him over Buaben (out for a long time) and Muganji Bia (totally unproven) Yeates and Abdi are our best players with a dead ball as Mark showed again with a superb free kick against Leeds.
Im all for ppl having an opinion but make it your own and be flexible with it! On a more positive note I think we are really on the up and up now. Zola is getting used to Championship football as are the Udine lads. If I were Wolves I would be very afraid, they will have to be at their best to get anything from us.
Could someone please give a run through of the state of our loanees? Are Jenko and Dale back with us? Has SLB actually left? And finally when is Di Natale's debut for the golden boys going to be?
Elton John's Taylor Made Army!!!

Having just spent some time changing work shifts to see the Wolves match (before the Leeds result), my heart sank after the big win---Don't get me wrong, I was delighted at the result---. But having made all the effort, after that result, I know that the Wolves match will be dour, and any win will have to be ground out. Go back in the past to any big wins, and you'll find that, almost always, the following match is dour. It's because the opposing managers, with the previous result in mind, bolster their defence, or pack midfield, to an extent greater than they normally would. Unless, of course, the manager has the tactical ability of a mollusc.
I really, really hope I am proved wrong

Letsalldothecongafor
brittassombalonga wrote:

DuffmanWFC wrote:
I can't see Hodson getting a game this season if we stick to our 3-5-2 system as we have too many better players ahead of him! I hope Zola sends him out on loan to a league 1 side that are pushing for a top 6 finish and that he'll play regular till the end of the season as he still has something to offer us! Yes Yeates has improved but of what I can honestly see Abdi, Hogg, Eustace, Murray, Bauban, Mungi Bai and Vydra are all ahead of him in terms of ability and with Geijo, Deeney, Forestieri and Bottachino that's 11 better players without the defence and goalies to pick from ie Almunia, Bond, Nosworthy, Hoban, Cassetti, Doyley, Neuton, Ekstrand, Smith, Hall... That's 21 players in my eyes that are better than Yeates! Hence why I think he will go eventually! Yep nice goal against Leeds but for me he is gready at times and tries to shoot from an impossible angle or make the wrong pass at crucial points of the game!

Duffman I disagree. I echo what Hopemole says about Yeates, he has improved a great deal under Zola and playing in a more central role. The abuse of Yeates is a typical example of band-waggon jumping and there are a lot of Hillbillies on this site. I will admit that his decision making is suspect at times however he is a goal creator.
Those who are unable to see his improvement are blinkered. Dont get me wrong, he is no world beater and not a definite starter but he does offer us something. Personally I would put him over Buaben (out for a long time) and Muganji Bia (totally unproven) Yeates and Abdi are our best players with a dead ball as Mark showed again with a superb free kick against Leeds.
Im all for ppl having an opinion but make it your own and be flexible with it! On a more positive note I think we are really on the up and up now. Zola is getting used to Championship football as are the Udine lads. If I were Wolves I would be very afraid, they will have to be at their best to get anything from us.
Could someone please give a run through of the state of our loanees? Are Jenko and Dale back with us? Has SLB actually left? And finally when is Di Natale's debut for the golden boys going to be?
Elton John's Taylor Made Army!!!

One swallow Dont make a summer !!
make me a "Hillbilly".
Yeates aint up to it !
there you go, thats my opinion !

Thanks. "Itsalldoetc". It's good to hear some positive and open minded comments. The foul mouthed negative hillbillies get up my nose.. As a Head I had the privilege of helping to lead the turning round of two failed secondary schools. It took teamwork and the setting of high standards-then we encouraged, encouraged and coached people to attain them. Negative criticism was never effective. I've never forgotten the season when Boothroyd brought the Team down from the Premier in 2007-8 and after a magical first two and a half months we were leading the division easily. Then came the match with West Brom at home. We were one down at half time and a significant number of Hillbillies were booing and getting on the backs of the team., Not surprisingly we got hammered and morale nosedived. We won 8 of the next 34 matches! It's our job to get behind the team and the management and we need to generate more positive noise all over the ground. At our little club we have no divine right to success as some so called fans seem to think. We, like the team and management, need to earn our success. So let's get on with playing our part. It sounds like we have new owners who will listen and care. It feels like a GT moment so let's get behind ALL the players and play our part too!