Sam Morsy has no doubts about where Kristi Montgomery is heading. The Blackburn Rovers veteran told BBC Radio Lancashire that his 22-year-old midfield partner has produced a "massive improvement" since the start of the current Championship campaign, and that the progress shows no sign of stopping.

Every minute, every game

Montgomery broke into the Rovers first team at the tail end of the 2024-25 season, making 23 appearances. That experience gave him the platform to seize a regular starting berth: he has featured in every single Championship fixture this term, a record that reflects both his form and his durability.

Morsy, speaking with the authority of a player who has built a career on Championship-level reliability, was emphatic in his assessment. "He's come in, he's been brilliant, he's a great kid, he wants to listen, he wants to learn," the veteran midfielder said. "Week by week, he's getting better. From where he was at the start of the season he's improved massively."

That willingness to absorb information from senior players matters in a division that punishes naivety. The Championship moves faster and allows less time on the ball than the tiers below, and young midfielders who arrive without the defensive discipline to press and recover rarely last a full campaign as regulars. Montgomery, by Morsy's account, has done exactly that.

Bench depth beginning to build

Blackburn have leaned heavily on youth throughout the season, partly through necessity. Injuries thinned the squad and left the coaching staff reaching into the academy more often than planned. Morsy acknowledged the young players had done well in difficult circumstances, but was candid about the limits of asking teenagers and early-twenties players to carry a second-tier bench week after week.

"It's a really unforgiving league and you need senior lads on there to compete," he said.

The picture is improving. Winger Mathias Jorgensen has returned to the squad, adding another experienced option for the coaching staff to call upon. Morsy welcomed the shift in the group's composition. "It's the first time this season you look at the bench, there are real threats on there," he said. "Competition is getting higher which can only be a good thing."

Greater depth on the bench serves two purposes in the Championship. It gives the manager genuine tactical options when a game needs changing, and it sharpens the focus of those in the starting eleven who know a capable replacement is ready to press for their place.

What it means for Rovers

Montgomery's consistency matters beyond individual development. Blackburn need their midfield engine to function reliably across a 46-game season, and having a 22-year-old who can be relied upon for every minute so far reduces the pressure on the squad as a whole.

Morsy's praise carries weight precisely because he is not given to hollow compliments. A player who has operated at this level for years knows the difference between a young talent who catches the eye in patches and one who genuinely earns his place each week. His verdict on Montgomery suggests the latter.

With the squad steadily growing healthier and the bench acquiring the senior presence it lacked earlier in the campaign, Rovers look increasingly equipped for the demands the second half of the Championship season will bring.

Frequently asked

Who is Kristi Montgomery at Blackburn Rovers?
Kristi Montgomery is a 22-year-old midfielder who broke into the Blackburn first team at the end of the 2024-25 season. He has started every Championship game for Rovers in the current campaign.
What has Sam Morsy said about Kristi Montgomery?
Morsy told BBC Radio Lancashire that Montgomery has been "brilliant" and has improved "massively" since the start of the season, praising the young midfielder's desire to listen and learn.
How is Blackburn Rovers' squad depth looking this season?
Rovers have dealt with significant injury problems and relied heavily on young players to fill the bench. However, their options are strengthening, with winger Mathias Jorgensen recently returning to the squad.