Since making his first team debut in January 2022, Lewis Hall has barely put a foot wrong as part of a Chelsea starting XI. The 18-year-old's opportunities have not been frequent but in most outings he has been among the contenders for the Blues' best player on the pitch.
That was true against Manchester City at the weekend, who four of his nine appearances have come against this term. Deputising for the injured Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell, the development star looks set to start in the west London side's remaining two games of the season against Manchester United and Newcastle, to finish a repertoire that has taken in some impressive opposition.
The youngster earned himself a place in the first team dressing room with his performances ahead of the World Cup, and while chances became more fleeting until recent injuries, Hall has rarely not looked the part. Lampard admitted as much, that Hall had proven he can handle the level, though he has only more recently featured due to the injuries in the squad.
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Of course, Chelsea have no shortage of players in their first team squad and that number should be diminished over the summer ready for Mauricio Pochettino to shape a core group next term. Whether Chilwell and Cucurella have a future away from Stamford Bridge, in addition to returning loanee remains to be seen however.
Maatsen will certainly be a sellable asset after a good season with Burnley, while Cucurella's form may leave some open to his sale, but it would prove difficult for the Blues to earn back their fee, while Chilwell stands as first choice in the position. That said, Hall's preferred position in the centre of midfield, where his only opportunity has come in a difficult outing against Liverpool. Pochettino is likely to see some turnover in the centre of the park, but there will still be a great deal of competition.
Hall's progress must continue too, as he still can enjoy growth. Lampard identified a couple of areas where improvement is possible.
He said: "We certainly rate him. Joe [Edwards and Andy [Myers], who work with me, have a better understanding of him as a lad and all those things are important as well. He's a quiet lad, the first thing that I've seen, he definitely needs to come out of himself a little bit more. I'm not asking him to change his personality but in footballing terms to effect people around him.
"In terms of quality on the ball, that's really clear. In terms of quality, if you see him with the ball and the things he can do, he's got the levels, he's obviously got to add to that as he goes along. Another academy one that we've produced and it will be good to see him in regular games at this level to be tested more but he's shown he can do that."
If there is no distinguished first team role for Hall, a loan must be considered, and at a Premier League level. Different surroundings where the youngster is not simply an academy player stepping up, may allow him to 'come out of himself' more easily and earn more regular playing time. With that, Chelsea must make a second decision in which position they see Hall's future and where they can effectively pitch him to garner more experience.
Regardless, Chelsea cannot allow a season for Hall such has panned out for Carney Chukwuemeka. The £20million signing from Aston Villa quickly found himself amongst the Blues' first team squad but has managed just 250 minutes of first team football.
The 19-year-old has shown some impressive flurries but almost a year on from his move, it is difficult to see how his stance has changed. Chelsea are open to a loan move, should Pochettino not see the midfielder as part of his immediate plans but there has been little for prospective teams to have learn in 2022/23.
Of course, Chukwuemeka still has a big future ahead of him but the decision to keep him from the Under-20s World Cup group stage for a fleeting substitution at Man City has only highlighted a frustration so far as he hopes to build some momentum. Through a degree of luck, Hall has earned more playing time, and the momentum he can build should not be wasted.
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