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.
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.