By Joe Eastham
November 20 2004

Hardly a battle of giants - however Southampton turned their fortunes around after getting a draw at Highbury, so fans should never take anything for granted.

WBA have not won away all season, and Arsenal have not lost at home all season. Hardly a battle of giants - however Southampton turned their fortunes around after getting a draw at Highbury, so fans should never take anything for granted.

Another possible problem may be that Arsenal are in the Champions League midweek and could be tempted to ease off. If they were to do that, just like they did against the Saints, it could be tempting fate.

It will be good to see the return of Kanu (if he is declared fit) who was such a bargain at 90p a letter on replica shirts. Last week he missed an open goal from half a yard. Is that some kind of record Motty (do write in)?

Now there is no doubt that in the twilight of his Higbury career he could not hit a cow's arse with a banjo. Only last year when we were beating Chelsea at home Wenger brought him on, not to score but to keep the ball in the corner. We knew he wouldn't score but we all sang "Kanu from the corner, Kanu from the corner pin". Chelsea fans looked edgy (the past weighs like a nightmare on the minds of the living) - of course it didn't happen.

But of course we were all thinking of the that brilliant hat trick at Chelsea a few seasons ago (autumn 1999). I think it was the greatest hat trick I have ever seen.

 We were two nil down and playing crap and there was only 17 minutes to go. It was a cold and thoroughly miserable afternoonAnd Arsenals play was as bad. Perhaps it was the Chelsea Fans singing they were the best team in London that fired him up. But in the space of eight minutes he scored two goals.

 A draw was more than we deserved, but Kanu was not finished, with a minute to go he hassled the ball of a loose Chelsea defence - starting from wide he made his way along the by line, with two defender and Ed de Goey coming out to meet him it looked impossible. Kanu shot from twenty yards along the by line, at an almost impossible angle, into the net. Chelsea and Arsenal fans alike were stunned - Chelsea couldn't believe that they had lost, and we couldn't believe we had won. Though it did very nicely. 

Chelsea were defeated by one man, and it was one man, the rest of the team were hardly involved. The hat trick had been completed with one of the greatest goals ever.

The biggest mystery is why Kanu never repeated such form again, true he played some good matches including away at Liverpool, when we were down to ten men, the second double year, away at Inter and so on. But his shooting boots saw less and less action.

Could he be stirred into a repeat by visiting Arsenal this Saturday? Does lightning strike twice? I hope not.