By Sam Silverman

After a stuttering start to the season and some particularly dire performances across the Christmas period, in recent weeks there has been something of a turnaround in the fortunes of Leeds United.

The appointment of Steve Thompson as Neil Redfearn’s assistant has proved to be one of Leeds’ most important signings this season, helping take some of the pressure off Redfearn and though it took some wrangling to get him, the two have made a great team, introducing a new system and bringing a number of previously sidelined players in from the cold including Steve Morison and Luke Murphy, a pair of players many would have been happy to see the back of last year.

Now however, Morison, although still enduring a goal drought, is proving instrumental to the team’s current success with his aerial ability and hold up play and Luke Murphy is playing like a man possessed.

Having finally shaken off his price tag, the ex-Crewe Alexandra midfielder is finally beginning to demonstrate a fine range of passing and no small measure of goal-scoring skill either, with his 25-yard thunderbolt strikes starting to become something of a trademark in recent games.

Leeds United have also started to show a real ability to grind out tough fixtures, gone are the days of playing only one half of a game, gone are the sudden defensive collapses in the face of opposing pressure.

In place of these we find a team that has managed to do the double over AFC Bournemouth and Middlesbrough, both league leaders and automatic promotion contenders.

The performance against Boro away at the Riverside Stadium was particularly indicative of the teams improvement.

Some slick attacking play in the opening minutes of the game by academy stars Alex Mowatt and Lewis Cook giving Leeds the lead just three minutes in, what followed was a near 100 minute attacking barrage by Middlesbrough.

Again and again they attacked only to be foiled at every turn by a team that refused to be broken down, that refused to crumble and in the end Leeds left with a deserved three points on the day.

The arrival of Sol Bamba on loan from Palermo has also helped to galvanise the defence. One of the cornerstones of Leeds’ defensive heroics versus Middlesbrough was the Ivorian centre-back is already a shoe in for a team place, having hit the ground running and performing solidly since his arrival and it seems inevitable that Leeds will exercise their right to take him to Elland road permanently in the summer.

With so many positive things going on at the club, the right men being brought in, a team that is pulling together and having won five of their last six games. The question can Leeds make a late push for the play offs? arises.

It is still mathematically possible but with just 14 games remaining and Leeds a massive 15 points behind sixth place Watford it does seem like a tall order for them. But who knows?

The team is in form and there is a positive feeling around Elland Road, something that has been lacking recently.

Leeds have endured over ten years of hardship, financial mismanagement, points deductions and unscrupulous owners. Maybe this will be the season they finally make a break for those blue remembered hills of the Premier league?

And if not then I think many Leeds fans will be looking forward to next season with eager eyes. Leeds are often called the sleeping giants of English football, here’s hoping that they are finally waking up.