Even if Arsenal beat Southampton today Freddie Ljungberg will not look back on the season with satisfaction. Nothing can change his belief that the team have underachieved. For the fashion-conscious Swede, ending up with the FA Cup would be like having to accept a high-street shirt when you wanted Giorgio Armani.

Ljungberg's motivation remains strong as he seeks to ensure Arsenal do not finish the campaign empty-handed, and he has the added incentive of trying to become the first player to score in three successive FA Cup finals. Yet succeeding in Cardiff could not erase his dismay at failing in Europe and losing the title.

"It wouldn't make up for it, no," he says, "but we would love to win the Cup. The boss said in the papers what our targets were this season and everyone can see that we haven't fulfilled them. Even if we win on Saturday I won't be totally satisfied with this season because we lost the Premiership and didn't go as far as we wanted in the Champions League.

"I'm still angry that we underachieved a bit. We didn't win the championship after we were leading it the whole way because in the end, in my opinion, we got some stupid results. We were leading 2-0 against Bolton and we should be strong enough to win that game. That's what I was a bit upset about."

Ljungberg was so infuriated by that draw at the Reebok Stadium that he shaved his head. After sporting a red, go-faster stripe at the Millennium Stadium last year, this time he has the close-cropped look. Whether or not he finds the net, he may make history for playing two consecutive finals with such different hairstyles.

The disappointment which called for the clippers has been compounded by injuries which affected his campaign. Ljungberg's brilliance at the end of last season played a huge part in driving Arsenal to the Double. His less dynamic form this time has similarly reflected the club's fortunes. Having registered a hat-trick last weekend at Sunderland, though, he may be running into form which will enable him to make history in Cardiff.

Twelve months ago Ljungberg became the first player to score in successive FA Cup finals since Tottenham's Bobby Smith in 1961 and 1962, and now he can set a new mark. His Cup knack was highlighted with a semi-final winner at Old Trafford against Sheffield United.

"Of course I'd be very happy to go in the history books for scoring in three consecutive finals," Ljungberg says, "so if we are leading at the end and I start to shoot from every angle, don't get angry with me. I would love to score but the important thing is that the team wins."

To do that Ljungberg knows Arsenal must learn from their mistakes. There have been occasions, he says, when the team have been too easily knocked out of their stride by more combative opponents. He cites the 3-2 defeat at Southampton last November as an example. "They played their game plan with long balls and physical play and we didn't put our foot in and try to beat them at that," he reflects.

Arsenal expect a similar challenge this afternoon but intend to respond with the quick-passing style which brought a 6-1 win over Gordon Strachan's weakened team less than a fortnight ago.

"You need to be brave enough to put the ball on the floor and not just kick it away when it comes," Ljungberg says. "That's an important thing for us. Whenever we get the ball we have to try to play our game.

"Sometimes I think during the season that when the other team haven't let us play our game and there have been a lot of balls in the air and a lot of fighting, we maybe didn't dig in properly. Sometimes you need to take the extra step to be the champions and I think we need to think about that for next season."

Ljungberg also acknowledges the need for Arsenal's offensive players to contribute more defensively. That looks all the more vital this afternoon with Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira and Pascal Cygan out.

"For me the whole team needs to defend a bit better," the midfielder says. "I don't say our play is too attacking but maybe sometimes we switch off too much when we lose the ball and we need to be concentrated. Even if we are offensive players we need to see there's a responsibility not to concede goals. It's not just the back four."

Ljungberg seems unimpressed by Arsenal's Cup final suits - "very plain," he says - after suggestions that he should get involved in the choice were voted down. With Ljungberg in charge the team would surely have put Liverpool's infamous white outfits to shame. Yet, whatever the 26-year-old must wear, he is looking forward to kick-off.

"I've always felt it's a privilege to play in the big games," he says. "Of course I get a little bit nervous but there's no point in getting really nervous. So many millions of people would love to play in your shoes in those big games. Just take the opportunity and enjoy it - that's how I see it."