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

Look, it can happen. A team can win the Premier League without the ball. However, it has only happened once in this competition’s 34 seasons, and it was the most spectacular story of them all.

Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City, the 5,000-1 winners in 2015-16 averaging 42.4 per cent possession per game. It was a time for dilly-ding, dilly-dong. A time for pizza. A time for Jamie Vardy having a party.

Better luck next year to those besotted with the ball. It was a beautiful anomaly, and still the last time a team finished inside the top five while putting up less than 50 per cent possession.

Last season, Sunderland were the highest sub-50 side in seventh. The season before, Nottingham Forest in seventh. Before that, West Ham in ninth. And so on until we find Leicester in first. Save for a footballing fairytale, those at the top get there with the ball, not without it.

We mention all this because as Chelsea travel to Arsenal today – for a showdown which has some wondering whether these two teams will be tussling at the top nearer to May – Xabi Alonso’s side are averaging a mere 32 per cent after their wins over Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion.

That is more than 10 per cent shy of 2015-16 Leicester, and only Hull City have seen less of the ball than Chelsea this season.

Chelsea have averaged just 32 per cent possession in their first two matches of the season

Chelsea will see more of the ball in time with Xabi Alonso having made possession a focus during his time at Bayer Leverkusen

Granted, a two-game sample size is hardly the greatest, and there is some context which we will cover, but it is still a striking statistical swing for Chelsea. They have gone from ‘respect the ball’ under Liam Rosenior to reject the ball under Alonso – and are winning.

Chelsea are bound to see more of the ball in time, if not today at Arsenal, because this was not exactly expected after how Alonso won his way into the history books with Bayer Leverkusen.

There was a training exercise which Alonso liked using at Leverkusen. It did not have a jazzy name. Just ‘Possession Game’. It involved two eight-a-side teams on a narrow pitch and three neutral players among them in bibs playing for both. There were no goals. The way you scored was by keeping the ball. Ten consecutive passes equalled one point.

Alonso would intervene if he sensed the tempo was too slow, Leverkusen’s metronomic manager playing passes to show the rhythm he wanted. The overall objective was to keep possession, find space, use overloads, become comfortable with the ball and bring control to chaos.

By the end of 2023-24, Alonso’s Leverkusen were the Bundesliga champions for the first time ever, having averaged the highest possession of all the clubs in Germany’s top division at 62.1 per cent.

Which is why the start to Chelsea’s season is so intriguing now. It is something of a phenomenon, though their supporters may not mind it if Alonso persists with this style of play.

They never took to Enzo Maresca, the Pep Guardiola disciple whose methodical football resembled death by a thousand passes. That was too sideways for the liking of a fanbase which fell in love with Jose Mourinho’s pragmatic philosophy, and celebrated Premier League and Champions League triumphs via the back-three systems of Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel respectively.

Chelsea’s current style of play might be welcomed by supporters, who did not take to Enzo Maresca’s methodical approach

When Conte claimed their title in 2016-17, his team averaged 54.8 per cent possession, the second lowest ever put up by an English champion behind Leicester.

Alonso, arguably, is using an approach more suited to this club’s ideology, but as we mentioned, there is some context worth consideration.

Chelsea’s first two fixtures fell against sides that are prioritising possession. First, Fulham, now managed by Alvaro Arbeloa, in a game in which Chelsea led after 31 seconds and won 3-2.

Then Brighton, who crave control under Fabian Hurzeler. Per Opta, Chelsea’s 25.9 per cent possession in that 4-3 victory was their lowest on record in the Premier League.

Yet they were leading 1-0 after four minutes, and 3-0 after 32. They did not need to chase the ball as if it was the last one left on the planet in order to regain possession. They were also without Moises Caicedo, their main ball-winner who has yet to start a game this season because of injury setbacks.

Without Caicedo, Chelsea used Reece James and Romeo Lavia in midfield at Fulham, and Malo Gusto and Lavia against Brighton. Partnered by full backs, Lavia is pushing himself, hopeful of completing his first competitive full 90 for his club soon. Chelsea have shown their vulnerabilities minus Caicedo, conceding five goals in their two games.

Direct football suits Chelsea’s front three and Morgan Rogers will be worth watching against Arsenal, who had thought they were poised to sign him this summer

What they have been lacking in defence, they have overcome in attack. Direct football suits Chelsea’s devastatingly talented front three, made up of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro. It is a trident which appears at its best pouncing after transitions, and Rogers will be one worth watching today.

Arsenal spent much of this summer believing Rogers was as good as theirs. Chelsea wanted him, but senior sources are willing to admit they were not overly confident because Mikel Arteta’s side were widely considered favourites. However, those inside Stamford Bridge observed their rivals’ negotiations closely and carefully, and chose their moment to swoop amid the dithering, showing a swift willingness to pay £117million to Aston Villa. Blindsided, Arsenal then claimed they were only willing to go to £80m maximum. Other sources say they were prepared to surpass £100m. Rogers, upon signing for Chelsea, said he had joined ‘the biggest club in London’.

Now he will be a fixture in the Premier League’s best attack versus the best defence, seeking to show Arsenal what they missed out on – when Chelsea have the ball, that is.