The last time we spoke to Cox she was preparing for her first full season as a fully-fledged member of the first team's playing squad. She said then she felt like a sponge, soaking up every single opportunity afforded to her.

Those feelings have not changed four months on. The goalkeeper has continued to embrace every single experience she has with the team, such as this week's winter training camp in Portugal where she is part of the 27-strong squad who travelled.

'I wouldn't say I have got more comfortable, but I definitely feel more part of it all,' the 18-year-old said. 'On the pitch, I don't feel out of place.

'I feel like I'm progressing how I would like to be progressing at this time. Every day I am trying to come in and impress the coaches, impress my team-mates and show everyone what I can do. I'm trying to do that as well as picking things up from them and learning from them.

'Obviously, with time you do adapt, but a lot of the older players have been helping me and have been role models to me. Players like Z (Zecira Musovic) and Hannah have been great, and then others like Millie and Lucy help me out in the sessions.

'I've benefitted a lot from that. Having that kind of support around you as a young player is really important.'

There have been continuous learnings for Cox. The player she was when she signed her first professional contract back in August, the England youth international says, is already a different one to who is speaking to us now.

The goals she has set alongside the coaches and performance staff target improving her distribution, whilst one of her strengths they have all highlighted is her shot-stopping. Cox has also reaped the rewards in the gym, with a team-best for the highest mid-thigh pull being one of her best individual achievements.

'On the pitch, it would be always being switched on to every single thing,' Cox said on her biggest areas of development. 'You can't switch off, not even for half a second. Otherwise, you'd be left behind about five yards.

'You've got to be on the ball and always thinking about what's next. It's relentless, but I love it for sure.

'I feel like my development from the start of the season to now has been huge. I can see and feel the differences. The sky is the limit and I just have to keep going.

'Physically, going into the gym and being able to lift heavier, be more explosive and be more powerful. I'm still working on it, but I have come a long way.

'On the pitch, it's about learning different styles. It's about improving my IQ of the game. I want to keep building on that every single day.'

For all the experiences gained, Cox is yet to make her senior debut. It would be understandable if that left a player feeling somewhat downbeat, but for this youngster, it is the opposite.

'I treat every session and every warm-up like it is a game,' Cox said. 'That's where I get my competitive drive from because I'm not getting those minutes yet.

'I use the warm-up instead and set myself goals like I'm not going to let more than three goals in. Setting those kinds of challenges helps keep me going. It's important to keep pushing myself, but also to keep the competitive edge which I might be losing out on without game time.'

Cox is undoubtedly a team player. She wants to play her part to help the Blues, no matter what that role is as she explains how she feels she contributed to our 16-game unbeaten run.

'Having our unbeaten run to the start of the season,' Cox replied when we asked what her highlight has been thus far. 'Everyone has played their part and I can see how much hard work all of the girls and coaches are putting into it.

'It's really nice to see the hard work paying off. We can say that now, but we have another half of the season to go!

'It motivates me to be on that level, too, because I feel like if I drop off or if I don't do something right then not only am I letting myself down, but I might be letting the team down because they might not be able to train to their best.

'If I am being the best version of myself, then it can help the team. It brings out whatever they need from me, so I just want to play my part in any way they need me to.'

Cox is currently playing her part with the squad in Portugal during our winter training camp. In the Algarve, the Blues are preparing for our return to action later this month where we will be looking to maintain our impressive form which has Sonia Bompastor's side sitting six points clear at the top of the Barclays Women's Super League table.

'These trips are super important,' Cox said. 'The focus of this trip is getting closer as a team, whether that is on or off the pitch like doing team activities or if it's getting more clarity on our game model.

'It's really important to have the time away from being at Cobham every day. It's a new environment and we're adapting to different things. This can all help in the long run because we have more opportunities to see how we can help each other out on and off the pitch.'