Chelsea legend Dennis Wise hails young talent, calls for consistency

Chelsea legend Dennis Wise took part in an online Q&A with fans, the Blues legend spoke about his memories in blue and the current team.

Legendary Chelsea midfielder Dennis Wise recently took part in a fan Q&A hosted by new club title sponsor, Three. Wise spoke to fans via webcam about his career for the Blues, but the 53-year-old also shared his thoughts on the current Chelsea team. Particularly about the Blues abundance of youth talent that came up through the academy.

Chelsea youngsters Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Billy Gilmour have all played a massive role in the Blues’ success this year. There is no doubting the fact the season would have been trending in the opposite direction if not for the maturity shown by the academy graduates. Wise shared his thoughts when asked about the group:

"“I think they have shown that at the moment in spells, in patches, they are good enough. You want more consistency out of them, to make a bigger impact. They’re going to have some fighting on their hands going forward, but this is what it’s about—competition and fighting for your place. I think they have shown that they are quality within this season.” -Dennis Wise"

The 11-year Chelsea player hasn’t been the only one to notice the array of youth talent the Blues have either. Earlier this year, Lionel Messi named Mount one of the top youngsters in the world. However, Wise was quick to critique the group, as well. He noted consistency issues, even hinting at position battles for many of them.

Chelsea has spent much of the summer scouting top talents, having already secured Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner’s signatures. Even with just those two additions, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Loftus-Cheek and Abraham could be fighting for a starting role. Wise suggests they have the talent to start at a club like Chelsea, but need to put in high-level performances every week to secure those spots.

Of the young players discussed, Wise went out of his way to praise both James and Mount, who just played in his 50th match for the Chelsea first team. Mount has been an integral part of the Blues’ success this season, reenergizing Frank Lampard’s squad from the middle of the park. The famous midfielder also gave some insight as to who he believes would make up the best midfield trio—only using players currently in the team.

Surprising to few, Wise chose N’Golo Kante as the first name on his team sheet. Further, he picked out any combination of Mateo Kovacic, Ross Barkley and Mount to occupy the two remaining spots in the middle of the park. The Englishman mentioned Billy Gilmour’s name, as well, but cited it was a bit early for the Scot. Meanwhile, Jorginho’s name fell through the cracks as the Chelsea legend failed to mention his name.

What do you make of Wise’s comments and what’re your views on the youth? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!