Nothing wrong with David Luiz’s stunning free-kick, Liverpool and Simon Mignolet were still half asleep
Referee does not always need to blow his whistle to restart play, he can simply make a hand signal
THERE was nothing wrong with David Luiz taking the free-kick when he did for Chelsea’s goal.
Mark Clattenburg clearly blew the whistle around four seconds before Luiz struck the free-kick.
Liverpool simply should have been ready for it. Clattenburg has marked out the ten-yard distance between Luiz and the defensive wall.
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Clattenburg then retakes his position for Chelsea to take the free-kick, with the wall set and Mignolet half asleep.
The referee does not always need to blow his whistle to restart play, he can simply make a hand signal.
But with a ‘ceremonial’ attacking free-kick the referee must always tell the players to wait for the whistle.
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Luiz clearly heard the whistle and took advantage of Liverpool’s poor defensive play.
From Clattenburg’s position, the original challenge from Adam Lallana on Eden Hazard will look a free-kick in his opinion.
People will disagree with that but I can understand why I gave it – he only gets one look.