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BRENDAN'S POSTBAG: Luciano needs the perfect partner
Leeds United have been linked with Danny Graham from Carlisle. What sort of forward do you think should replace Jermaine Beckford if – as looks likely – he goes.
DAVE, Knottingley
Luciano Becchio could certainly become no.1 striker if Beckford goes. He's the sort of striker who works his socks off and Leeds might get a targetman up front to work off him or someone for him to work off.
For me, he did a lot of Beckford's work last season with Jermaine getting most of the credit for the goals he scored as he is a natural goalscorer.
Becchio scored his fair share of goals as well and took them well. For me, Leeds will either go for someone up with him who either holds it up and gives the midfield and back four a break or a similar type to Beckford.
It depends what Simon wants to do. He might want long balls to be hit up to a targetman and Becchio to work off him.
Graham is a hard-working targetman type and not similar to Beckford with his pace. For me, as a defender, when I was playing, I'd rather play against a big forward than someone who is quick, as defenders don't like pace and people running at them –
I used to love battling with a big lad, all day, but didn't like people coming at me with pace and there's not many quick centre-halves in the lower divisions.
If Beckford does go, they've got to replace him straightaway because if you let a player who scores 30-odd goals go and don't replace him, it will affect Leeds promotion chances and we will be in for more trouble.
****
Twenty-two years on, does the sight of David Bennett still give you nightmares after he got the ball off you and Coventry scored?
THOMMO, Pudsey
I have seen Dave over the years and we've had a chat about what happened in the Coventry v Leeds FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough and while I wish it hadn't happened, it's nice that people still talk about it and the game after so long.
It was a great day, not just for me, but the club and supporters as well and the city – but I'll never forget it.
Funnily enough, I was on holiday in America a few years back and I bumped into a Leeds fan and the first thing he said was: "you should have kicked it out!"
I still get stuff like that, but I don't mind, as long as I'm remembered for something in football!
There were certainly one or two tears shed in the dressing room afterwards; a lot from me, because what happened cost us the game, I thought.
A lot of us didn't get that close to the FA Cup again.
****
Hi Brendan, Leeds haven't been beaten on the opening day for 20 years, have you any special 'first day' memories?
MEANWOOD WHITE
I had a classic when I was at Villa in the early 80s when it was a red-hot day, as first days of the season usually are.
We were playing West Brom at Villa Park and it was a big derby in Birmingham and it was a sell-out.
We were looking forward to it as one of my ex-team-mates at Villa, Ken McNaught was at Albion.
I had broken into the team as a youngster at centre-half and the club sold Ken to them and he was coming up against us and his old team-mate Peter Withe – they had both played in the 1982 European Cup final together.
It turned out to be a right old game and we won 4-3 and they called it: "The thriller at the Villa" and I got the winning goal!
It was on Match of the Day and the game swung all over the place. I was at fault for one of their goals, I remember the ball came back off Spinksy and I should have put it in the stand. But the ball got stuck between my legs and Garry Thompson or Cyrille Regis stuck it in.
But Gary Shaw then scored and got it back to 3-3 and we then had a free-kick. Dennis Mortimer crossed it and I met it perfectly and it went in the back of the net and we won 4-3. It made up for the mistake I made!
When I came to Leeds, I don't know if it was the first day of the season, but it was my debut game against Huddersfield and we won 2-1 at Elland Road and I scored that day and I remember that one as well.
Ends
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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