When Arsenal grafted their way to their first trophy in nine years last May, the hope among the club's supporters was that a mental barrier had been broken that would facilitate a genuine title challenge.
Almost a year on, how much has really changed?
The Gunners' dreams of a first Premier League title since 2004 were in tatters by December.
They succumbed to their usual last 16 exit in the Champions League despite a kind draw against Monaco.
And on Saturday, they repeated their Wembley wobbles of last season and needed extra-time to scrape through their FA Cup semi-final against Championship side Reading.
If Arsenal are to truly build on last season's FA Cup triumph and their form so far in 2015, then retaining the trophy next month is the bare minimum requirement to save their season when they face either Liverpool or Aston Villa in the final in May.
Otherwise, their run of 17 wins from their last 19 fixtures in all competitions means nothing.
For all the optimism around the Londoners right now, their late run has come when the title was already out of reach. While they have the psychological references to qualify for the Champions League every season, this team still needs to prove they have the mental toughness to become serial trophy winners.
Only another FA Cup would suggest that Arsenal have made progress since Arsene Wenger signed a new three-year contract last summer.
The calls from earlier in the season for Wenger to step aside have faded away, but chief executive Ivan Gazidis reflected the sense of frustration at the club by saying last week that he was "not happy" with the campaign.
Arsenal will finish in the top four, that is certain, but even if they claim second it should count as a disappointing season if they can't win the FA Cup as well.
An acceptance that simply qualifying for the Champions League is good enough has been part of the problem for too long. Expectations have dropped unforgivably low in north London.
Wenger blames the World Cup and an injury crisis for Arsenal's failure to ever get near the summit of the Premier League table this season. They may be valid excuses, but they are equally wearisome.
Arsenal are close. The depth of their squad was highlighted on Saturday by the presence of the likes of Olivier Giroud, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott on the substitutes' bench while Wenger's willingness to buy big-name players in Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez is paying off.
Alexis, ultimately, made the difference with both of Arsenal's goals here - the first set-up brilliantly by Ozil - to book a fourth Wembley appearance for the club in two seasons.
At their best, Arsenal play the most attractive football in the country, but they still need to show that they have the guts and resolve when it really matters.
