Today's football.

[peteblue]

Abidal gone, Puyol gone, their defence has been terrible for ages. Xavi on his way out. It's not surprisingly really.

It's strange how teams seem to get better as others get worse, rather than just having loads of excellent teams at the same time. These German sides deserve to mix it with the big guns.

Erm.....they are the big guns.....

 

[peteblue]

As Davek said, Assange is justifiably paranoid that the US are out to get him. Look what happened to Manning.

The original point about this off-topicness is that people see him as an attention-seeker (as well as a rapist, even tho' there's been no charges...what happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?).

All Assange wanted to be known as was as the spokesman for Wikileaks. The media have turned him into the story, and they've twisted it so far that they've convinced casual readers that it's Assange himself who's made him into the story, when he always insisted that people should be talking about the leaks, not him.

It's like the Ribery-is-a-paedo thing from earlier in the thread. If enough ignorance is posted, and not enough people challenge it, then the falsehood gradually becomes the known 'truth'.

What happened to "I'll clear my name in a Court of Law" instead of "I'll hide in here until I can escape to Ecuador"...... He will have to leave eventually or just become a fugitive for life......

 

[toffeejack]

I'm expecting it to be cagey if I'm honest. Both teams may be so afraid of losing that they don't concentrate on winning

I'm basing this mainly on the German cup game they had to be fair

i dunno about that, where everton are scared of losing against good teams and rarely play to their potential, these two were draw against spanish giants madrid and barca, where they scared of losing? were they ****, an arrogant confidence that they were the better team in the tie and both hit the giants for 4.

hope they both go hell for leather in the final

 

[Brownie]

Erm.....they are the big guns.....

They are now. I'm saying they'd put on an even better show if they were playing other teams as good as them.

 

[dholliday]

What happened to "I'll clear my name in a Court of Law" instead of "I'll hide in here until I can escape to Ecuador"...... He will have to leave eventually or just become a fugitive for life......

Exactly, he will have to become a fugitive. And this lessens his credibility in the eyes of most people, and thus lessens the credibility of Wikileaks. Thus, the US government wins. For those who argue against whistleblowing of military crimes, it's a win.

If Assange does the brave, but risky, thing and go to Sweden to answer the accusations, the likelihood is that he won't be charged, as such a case rarely results in charges in Sweden (there is little precedence for this kind of thing). In the UK, what he's accused of isn't a crime, after all.

So sounds like he should go and answer the accusations, no? Except his own Australian government, and also the UK and Swedish governments, will not guarantee he won't be extradited to USA for charges against Wikileaks (where some people in local government support nothing less than the death penalty for him).

Tough situation. What would you do?

 

[peteblue]

They are now. I'm saying they'd put on an even better show if they were playing other teams as good as them.

A full European Super Premier League will arrive shortly....

 

[peteblue]

Exactly, he will have to become a fugitive. And this lessens his credibility in the eyes of most people, and thus lessens the credibility of Wikileaks. Thus, the US government wins. For those who argue against whistleblowing of military crimes, it's a win.

If Assange does the brave, but risky, thing and go to Sweden to answer the accusations, the likelihood is that he won't be charged, as such a case rarely results in charges in Sweden (there is little precedence for this kind of thing). In the UK, what he's accused of isn't a crime, after all.

So sounds like he should go and answer the accusations, no? Except his own Australian government, and also the UK and Swedish governments, will not guarantee he won't be extradited to USA for charges against Wikileaks.

Tough situation. What would you do?

I would go. It's the clever move if he's innocent........

 

[Brownie]

A full European Super Premier League will arrive shortly....

I'm saying it's a shame the other teams in the Champions League aren't as good as they have been in the past so Bayern and Dortmund, particularly Bayern, haven't had as many opportunities to test themselves.

 

[dholliday]

I would go. It's the clever move if he's innocent........

He said he would go if the governments involved would guarantee USA won't extradite him. But they're not guaranteeing this.

You still would go?

 

[Brennan]

Because innocent people are never stitched up by the government.

 

[peteblue]

He said he would go if the governments involved would guarantee USA won't extradite him. But they're not guaranteeing this.

You still would go?

Of course. No Government can guarantee or be seen to issue guarantees to a potential rapist who is holed up in an embassy belonging to a country like Ecuador. However, one he proves his innocence to the rape charge the worlds media and every liberal politician and campaign group would be on the case and he would not be sent to the USA. If he stays where he is he looks guilty and has no chance. If he goes to Sweden, providing he is innocent, he will look innocent and the game will be on. It's the logical choice.......

 

[dholliday]

...a potential rapist...

...one he proves his innocence to the rape charge...

...It's the logical choice.......

It's not logical when even after being reminded people still think he's actually been charged.

And potential rapist? Really? Did you know that one of the women accusing him is in this picture, and that this picture is taken after the alleged crime? If her face wasn't blanked out for legal reasons, you'd find she looks happy and smiling.

At this time, the helicopter video leaked. 2 days later, this woman went into a police station to tell them something...

This case is anything but logical.

 

[peteblue]

Perhaps not for the Today's football thread......

 

[dholliday]

Perhaps not for the Today's football thread......

You're right.

Last word for anyone actually interested in this offtopicness...click here for a 32-page PDF confirming US's intention to undermine Wikileaks (a main source of Assange's paranoia).



Right...back on topic:

I for one hope that this fresh German club dominance will extend itself to the national game.

Germany to win the World Cup in Brazil?

 

[Allezfan]

Right...back on topic:

I for one hope that this fresh German club dominance will extend itself to the national game.

Germany to win the World Cup in Brazil?

With players like robben, ribery and lewandowski they'll be unstoppable.