But none of this will prevent the tide of transfer rumours.

TribalFootball reckon that Arsenal have joined Man Utd and Barcelona in the hunt for Alessandro Nesta. At just £22million, this would leave us enough left over from the sale of Patrick Vieira to buy Marc van Bommel too.

But hang on a minute, where's the money coming from for Alessandro Del Piero ??? Apparently he's been jeered a bit by the Juve fans this season and is likely to be on his way. Barcelona, Man Utd, and Arsenal are said to be interested.

This week we've also been linked with just about every Leeds United player. Apparently they're all unhappy with the fact that they're not going to win anything this year, or be in the Champs League next year (hmmmm, whose fault is that?). And the appalling treatment of coach Brian Kidd by the fans in recent weeks has given them a slightly better excuse to use when touting themselves to the tabloids. They might not need to try to manouevre themselves into moves, the board might decide that they need to recoup some of the tens of millions David O'Leary has spent.

Prime target for the redtops is Lee Bowyer, whose dad had a much-publicised scrap with Peter Ridsdale last week. But FromTheTerrace reckon Rio Ferdinand could be coming our way (too). Rio was linked with Arsenal some time ago, but has surely missed the boat now having chosen United instead and having watched Sol Campbell's Arsenal career get off to a steadily improving start.

As with the Alessandros, Arsenal's imaginary bids for the Leeds stars will presumably face imaginary competition from Man Utd and Barca.

I have to admit that part of the fun of dissing these kind of absurd rumours is the fun we get from imagining them coming true. Just think: Rio, Del Piero, and Nesta on the bench! (NO new signing would walk straight into our current first team).

But there's one which would make Arseweb feel very uncomfortable. Could we bring ourselves to cheer for Lee Bowyer? Please Arsenal, don't put us in the position of having to decide.

See today's Paul Foot column, where the Plymouth fan makes the following impassioned plea to Arsenal: "Before you buy Bowyer, please read carefully the records of both criminal cases in which Bowyer was involved, and the subsequent civil case against Leeds United brought by the injured student and his family - and then ask whether Bowyer is fit to represent Arsenal, or any other club for that matter. "