SOCCER/ FA Cup Final: The musings over the exact importance of winning the FA Cup nowadays may be a low drone in the background, but losing this afternoon will undoubtedly carry great significance. Gordon Strachan has a realism that stopped him from giving thanks simply for being in a showpiece game.
The Southampton manager pictured the stricken faces of beaten players at full-time - but if his team are defeated his sense of devastation will gradually fade. Should Arsenal lose, however, they will never feel anything other than loathing for this day in Cardiff. Whatever happens at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon will resonate at Highbury in the season to come.
It will stalk David Seaman's mind for even longer, since he will probably be making the final appearance of his career as he captains the team. The 39-year-old goalkeeper's week began with the news that he had been dropped from the England squad and now, barring exceptional circumstances, his active service for Arsenal will end with this final.
Seaman may be too busy against Southampton to experience much poignancy. With Sol Campbell suspended and Pascal Cygan injured, Arsene Wenger's patched-up defence will have to improvise. The manager also has to make do without the injured Patrick Vieira and is in charge of a squad still remonstrating with themselves after crumpling in the Premiership run-in.
The difficulties, however, may rally them, making them feel that the moment has come to stand their ground and deliver a statement about their character. Strachan might well have preferred to meet an Arsenal side who, with the championship retained, were sated and plump with happiness.
Southampton, after all, need only a small waning in the opposition's level of concentration to take control of the final. Nostalgia is mandatory and the media have acted like tour guides to lead the public round the 1976 experience, when Bobby Stokes scored the goal that floored Manchester United. But there is no parallel with the current situation.
In those days Southampton were in the old second division at the much-loved, rudimentary Dell. Now, at St Mary's, they are emerging as a club who probably have the resources to stake out territory in the middle of the Premiership. A win over Arsenal does not necessarily have to be a wild, clawing affair.
All Strachan's squad need is to catch the Highbury side slightly off form. James Beattie would cause a surprise only if he failed to create spells of havoc in the ragged Arsenal back four. Unlike 1976, there can be no ambush. Even the recent 6-1 victory for Wenger's side did not fool anyone into accepting that Southampton are feeble.
Arsenal will be alert. This final is more meaningful than they could have wished or guessed. It has become their one chance to avoid a summer taken up entirely by self-reproach.
As matters stand, the inspiring performances in the first half of the season only goad Arsenal by reminding them of the degree to which they must have capitulated while failing to retain the league title.
It is Arsenal's temperament which is being doubted and that is a far more wounding accusation than any exasperation over a mere decline in performance. There is no opportunity in Cardiff to present adequate reparations for all the sorrow they inflicted on their supporters, but the side have a last chance to prove to themselves they can overcome adversity.
Arsenal, especially in defence, are in severe difficulties and each piece of news about the doubts over Lauren and Oleg Luzhny has made them rue Campbell's suspension all the more.
All of that means that Arsenal are facing the kind of test they failed while trying to seal the Premiership. Instead of cursing their ill-fortune, the side may see a way to relive the recent past and, this time, come out on top.
Guardian Service
