BLACKBURN Rovers boss Paul Lambert has hailed Ben Marshall as one of the best full-backs in the Championship with the ability to make the step up to the Premier League.

But Lambert, whose side entertain Bristol City today, still sees Marshall’s long-term future higher up the field.

And the Ewood Park chief has confirmed he has advised Rovers owners Venky’s of the need to tie the versatile star down to a new contract in the summer.

Marshall has spent the majority of the season playing right-back but on Tuesday he was moved further forward to the left wing.

Lambert was pleased with the 24-year-old’s performance in the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest and admits it has given him a dilemma for the final three games of the campaign and beyond.

“That’s the beauty about Ben, he can play in a number of positions,” said the former Celtic and Scotland midfielder.

“Ben’s performance in the first half was very good on the left side. He gives you that dilemma about where you play him because he is pretty gifted in both areas.

“He’s got the ability to play in the Premier League but it’s not ability alone that will get you there. You need a strong mentality to do it.

“He’s got the ability. He’s a very good footballer, with good feet, he can make things happen and I don’t think there’s too many better right-backs in the league to be honest.

“One of the greatest players I’ve ever seen was Kenny Dalglish and he was not blessed with great pace but his brain was five times quicker than everybody else and that’s why he was one of the greatest players to come out of Scotland.

“You don’t need to be blessed with magic pace. If your brain is quick, it can get you there quicker.”

Marshall and Shane Duffy are getting set to enter their final year of their current contracts.

But talks over fresh terms for the key duo, as well as the eight first-team players whose deals run out this summer, remain on hold until Lambert knows which direction Venky’s want to take the club in.

“I’ve recommended it to the people above that we have to look at that with Ben and Shane who have only got a year, and the ones who are out of contract as well,” said Lambert.

“It’s important with the way Ben has been playing.”

Rovers lost 2-0 to Huddersfield Town last Saturday to extend their losing run at home to three matches.

Lambert said: “If truth be known any sort of performance will be better than that. We just never turned up.

“To be fair Huddersfield did not have to do a great deal to beat us. We made two ridiculous errors.

“We never turned up for that game and we never laid a glove on them but Tuesday was a bit different.

“I thought we played some really good stuff in the first half and we did have chances to get a couple of goals.

“It’s the inconsistency thing. If you win home games and pick up points away then you’ve got a chance.

“We’ve been too inconsistent. That’s something we need to get next season. Blackburn Rovers need to be consistent to get out of the league. Miles better.”