Graham Smyth: Reading's '13th man' nullified by Leeds United's 14th and 15th men as Marcelo Bielsa's subs prove themselves as 'finishers'

Naming their fanbase among the substitutes on a piece of paper that is clinging to relevance in the increasingly digital footballing world is a quirk of the Berkshire club, one that has, more often than they would like, made them the victim of some not-so-gentle teasing.

The atmosphere Reading’s 13th man created was not sufficient to inspire the other players on the team sheet to a result, which was another source of ammunition for Leeds fans to fire at their counterparts.

What was experienced in the wonderfully plush surrounds of the Madejski Stadium was in stark contrast to what was on offer at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

A ground that some would describe as ramshackle and others would deem proper or old school, lends itself to noise, to a partisan din and the Luton fans played a full part in an enjoyable afternoon in Bedfordshire.

On Tuesday night, the only noise being created from 87 minutes onwards came from the 2,050 Whites in the away end and however many others who had snuck their way into the home end – Leeds take more, even when they shouldn’t.

The cause of all that noise was a winning goal, scored by Jack Harrison but set up by two men who came off Marcelo Bielsa’s bench.

On a night when Leeds United struggled to break down a defensive-to-the-point-of-boring Reading side, substitutes Gjanni Alioski and Helder Costa combined to hit the hosts on the counter-attack and turn the away end into a churning sea of limbs.

If Leeds are to finish the season in the position they found themselves at the conclusion of Tuesday’s match, the men who finish each game will be just as important as the men who start.

It was Eddie Jones, head coach of the England rugby team, who brought the term ‘finishers’ to sport on these shores in 2017, replacing the term ‘replacements’ with it when naming his squad for a Six Nations clash. The thinking was that these players outside the starting line-up were as influential and important to the 80-minute game plan as the starters themselves, so they should be classified as such.

In New Zealand, the All Blacks who, like Leeds, allowed cameras to go behind the scenes for a documentary shown by Amazon, have created a culture and an expectation that their ‘run ons’ should be world class, just like the XV picked to start games, able to impact the game just as dramatically and conclusively as any player they replace.

In baseball, the pitchers who specialise in coming on in tight games to get the final outs are known as closers.

Leeds aren’t likely to borrow a page from Reading’s book and make an alteration to the team sheet, but Bielsa’s bench should see themselves as finishers and closers, they are not there to come on in the dying embers of a game and give first-choice players a rest. Fresh legs is not all that is required when you're looking down the barrel of a 1-1 draw at Luton or a goalless stalemate at Reading.

The Argentine showed the trust he has in those who missed out on a starting place on Saturday at Kenilworth Road, with the game in the balance. And on Tuesday, the bench repaid him in full with what he matter-of-factly described as a ‘positive impact’.

Alioski was the embodiment of the impact. As is now expected of a Bielsa player at Leeds, he took up a less than familiar position to the one he is accustomed and brought his trademark energy and labrador-like enthusiasm to a game that needed it. But he brought more than that, adding quality through his work - InStatFootball determining 84 per cent of his 'actions' as successful.

He twice picked out Stuart Dallas with good crosses and then, when Dallas sent the ball from Leeds' own left corner flag to the right flank, Alioski was there to push play further forward and feed Costa, who supplied the cross for Harrison's goal. Positive impact indeed.

It wasn't the first time this season that substitutes had come up big for the Whites, they have been directly involved in just over a fifth of the 24 Championship goals Leeds have scored.

Eddie Nketiah has made himself an instant fan favourite with his goals from the bench against Preston, Barnsley and Brentford, while both of Costa's Championship assists have come in cameo appearances.

If Tyler Roberts’ knock is as slight as was being suggested after the game, then Bielsa will have another capable set of substitutes for the visit of Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Jamie Shackleton’s return and Eddie Nketiah stepping up his recovery are further boosts that will, in time, help give Bielsa the two options per position he wants.

With Adam Forshaw still to come back, there is an argument that the bench is stronger this season, because the likes of Shackleton, Alioski and Gaetano Berardi are upgraded versions of their 2018/19 selves. Bielsa must, but won’t, take some of the credit for that. He is reaping the benefits however.

Even when Leeds don’t play to their best, like in Berkshire, what matters is how the scoreline looks when the final whistle blows and his finishers’ ability to not only slot in and match the intensity levels set by the starters but raise them if possible, is of paramount importance.

You might win a game with a bare 11 but it takes a squad to win promotion from the Championship.