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Chris Smith

Fri 22 August 2025 21:54, UK

PGMOL have an agenda this season against players going down ‘too easily’, with Lucas Paqueta bearing the brunt in a 5-1 defeat to Chelsea.

That’s the view of the organisation’s former chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett, who shed light on an incident involving West Ham‘s Brazilian midfielder against Chelsea on Friday, exclusively for Football Insider.

Paqueta started Friday night’s game in superb fashion, beating Robert Sanchez with a powerful effort from outside the box just minutes after Chelsea star Cole Palmer withdrew from the squad with a warm-up injury.

But things soon went wrong, with the 27-year-old partially at fault for Chelsea’s second of three first-half goals.

This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief, FIFA official and former professional referee Keith Hackett.

Paqueta was dispossessed by Trevoh Chalobah on the edge of his own box as West Ham tried to play out from the back.

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Chelsea quickly pounced on the mistake, with Pedros Joao and Neto combining to give the visitors the lead — just 17 minutes after falling behind.

But supporters were quick to question on social media why West Ham had not been given a free-kick, with Chalobah seeming to block Paqueta without actually touching the ball.

Equally, though, it was poor control from Paqueta that let the ball get away from him, resulting in him sliding into Chalobah, then rolling around on the floor after slight contact to his face.

“It is evident that referee [Michael] Oliver is not going to buy actions by players going to ground too easily,” Hackett told Football Insider.

“The West Ham player goes to ground too easily, and that is why it was ignored by Oliver and did not buy an intervention by VAR.

“If this approach by referees is consistent, then it may reduce acts of simulation where players attempt to deceive and win free kicks.”

Graham Potter will be worried by West Ham’s start to the season (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

Football Insider verdict

While on another day, Paqueta could have been awarded a free-kick, Hackett has a point that the Brazilian stayed down far too easily.

Ultimately, the incident was a case of West Ham being punished for their naive play, trying to bring the ball out of the back while under immense pressure — and confidence low after being thrashed by Sunderland on the opening day and Chelsea turning the screw here.

Time and again, the Hammers were caught napping at the back, with defenders oblivious to runs across their shoulders.

And Paqueta wasn’t the only West Ham player guilty of naivety around their own box, with Graham Potter’s men inviting pressure from a rampant Chelsea side who could smell blood whenever the hosts tried to string passes together.

In the end, a 5-1 scoreline arguably flattered West Ham more than it did Chelsea, and with the likes of Nottingham Forest and Tottenham coming up next, the signs are worrying for the East Londoners.

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