Should Leeds have kept Mirco Antenucci around?
The injury to Chris Wood has highlighted Leeds United’s reliance on the New Zealand international this season.
The centre-forward has netted 14 goals in all competitions, with the nearest other players being Marcus Antonsson and Souleymane Doukara on three each.
Antonsson was a summer signing from Swedish side Kalmar, but has not started a league game since early September.
Just one of his three goals has come in the league,and it is fair to wonder whether Leeds would have been better off simply keeping Mirco Antenucci instead.
Leeds United’s Mirco Antenucci celebrates scoring
The Italian was released by Leeds in the summer after they failed to extend his two-year deal, despite a productive couple of years at the club.
He scored 19 goals across two seasons for Leeds, with many of his appearances coming from the bench.
Antenucci was a streaky player, but one who showed that he was capable of leading the line and scoring in the Championship, and could have been an asset to this Leeds side, who need every hand on deck to keep their promotion push on track.
Leeds United’s Chris Wood and Mirco Antenucci celebrate after the match against Huddersfield
In the summer Antenucci signed for Serie B side SPAL, and he has helped the unfancied side up to third in the league.
They are in with a real shot of winning promotion to Italy’s top flight, and Antenucci has played a key role after a slow start.
He has bagged nine goals in 17 games so far, which includes two in two in the Coppa Italia.
He is the joint fifth highest scorer in the division, with six goals coming in his last seven games.
If Wood faces a few weeks on the sidelines, they could do with a player like Antenucci right now, and it is increasingly important Marcus Antonsson steps up and proves his value.
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