Chelsea were told to 'respect' the ball by Liam Rosenior and now they are winning by rejecting it - but history tells us Xabi Alonso's side cannot win the Premier League averaging 32% possession, writes KIERAN GILL

Chelsea, under their current setup, have been winning matches while averaging just 32% possession, a stark contrast to former coach Liam Rosenior's instruction to 'respect' the ball. Kieran Gill notes that while a team can win the Premier League without dominating possession, it has only happened once in the competition's 34-season history. The article questions whether Xabi Alonso's Chelsea side can buck the historical trend and claim the title with such low possession averages.