Credit to him for bending the rules at a set piece. Reminds me of Hourihane always trying to move the ball for our own free kicks. Like Jerry The King Lawler always used to say, it's only cheating if you get caught. The ref is in the wrong for not keeping an eye on the situation.
Im not sure what the benefit is? The wall is going to be nearer so harder to get the ball up and over! Unless, he was crossing it then very little advantage....unless he's using his distance chart like golfers do and the extra yard means hes going full out cross and not having to give it extra! Wish some of our players would push the rules a little bit, we need players who manage the game and referee better.
Sorry but the use of spray was brought in specifically to stop attackers and defenders from cheating by stealing yards at free kicks. What Fabregas is doing is a blatant "f**k off" to the ref, the rules and us fans who are sick to death of professional footballers cheating week in week out and getting away with it.
IT seems it's human nature to try to bend the rules/ seek an advantage - I'm truly fed up of all the cheating! Watch the replay of the Shrews match & their RB steals a minimum of 10 yards at every throw in. The sarthend goalie who took time wasting to another level (until they conceded). Refs really need to get a grip on this sort of crap - still, it's clearly more important to book players for taking their shirt off.