Blues boss Paul Lambert has praised left-back Myles Kenlock for his recent form, the club having recently taken up an option to keep him for a further season, and also on-loan Chelsea man Trevoh Chalobah, who he believes can go on to be an outstanding player, and says young keeper Harry Wright will benefit from his spell on loan at Chelmsford City.
Kenlock admitted earlier in the month that he had had a frustrating time earlier in the season but has become a regular starter over the last month or so impressing his manager.
"Myles I think has been outstanding, he’s had a run of games and he’s been absolutely brilliant for us,” Lambert said.
"Even in training, he looks really, really good and as a left-back, the way he’s playing at the minute, there’s not too many I think better than him at the minute with the way he’s performing.
"I think the best is yet to come from him because he’s only a kid, he’s still a young lad and he’s not overly experienced but he’s another one that’s developing into a really top left-back so I’m delighted with him and the way he’s performed and he’s playing with a lot of confidence which is good.”
Has he done enough to be a shoo-in at left-back next season? "I’ll never say somebody is a starter because I think the player maybe becomes too comfortable.
"What I would say is he’s right in there with it but if I don’t also look for someone else or someone to give him competition then Myles could fall into the trap of being too comfortable and you can’t do that as a footballer.
"You have to be on the front foot every time and always worry what’s behind you because as soon as you stop looking you become complacent.
"What Myles has done is show me over a period of games that he is somebody I can trust and he’s somebody I think is going to be a really good player but he has to have competition because once this season is gone this season will never affect what’s going to happen next season.”
Lambert says he’s also been pleased with the way Chalobah, who has been on loan at Portman Road throughout this season, has been playing recently.
"He’s been fabulous, he really has,” he enthused. "He’s been great and he’s a kid who I think it’ll be really interesting to follow his career when he leaves here because if he’s nurtured in the right way and keeps developing the way he is then he can be outstanding and I think with every passing game he’s been superb for us.”
Lambert believes the England U20s skipper can go on to be a top player: "Without a doubt. He’s got the physical aspect of it and he’s only 19.
"I think there’s one or two things he’ll probably have to work on to be the complete midfielder but he’s got attributes going there - size, speed and power, he’s got the whole package.”
Regarding Wright, 20, the son of ex-Blue Richard, who kept a clean sheet as Vanarama National League South side Chelmsford won 3-0 at Truro City last weekend, earning himself a place in the Non-League Paper’s Team of the Week, Lambert says he needs to get match experience.
"Good kid Harry, he’s a nice lad but he needs games again and as I said before I don’t like curtailing people and not letting them play, you’re a footballer for a reason so go and play games,” he said.
Does it make it harder for the likes of him and Andre Dozzell whose fathers have had careers in the game?
"I don’t know. I know my son hates football so I’m alright, he can’t stand it, he couldn’t tell you if a ball is blown up let alone anything else!” he laughed.
"I don’t know, I really don’t know. I think parent to son if your dad has been a footballer and you’re at the level where you’re getting compared to your dad it’s an unfair comparison because you can’t compare two people.
"Andre, as I said before, is going to be a great player and he needs time to develop and I think it’s great on that side of it.
"But I’d never compare Andre with his dad because you let the kid be his own, his own personality and put his own stamp on the game and hopefully he does what I think he can do.”