Throwing the Cup could throw the season

In theory, the idea’s great. Lose to Stoke, in the FA Cup fourth round, and Arsenal will save themselves - potentially - four games, excluding replays.

If they reach the FA Cup and Champions’ League finals, Arsenal will play 64 games this season. Lose to Stoke, and they’ll play 60, even if they make Madrid. That’s six percent less games, six percent less chance of suspensions, and - at least - six percent less chance of injury.

When you have nine players injured, as Arsenal do, that six percent is tempting. As Robin van Persie and Kieran Gibbs know, one tackle can end a season.

Instead of wet, windy, weekends in Preston (where Chelsea play on Saturday), or Scunthorpe (where Manchester City play on Sunday), Arsenal could rest their pampered prima donnas. Not even Theo Walcott gets injured playing X Box (but give him time).

And, of course, it’s not like Arsene Wenger cares about the FA Cup. For the media’s sake - who were raised on Ronnie Radford and Cup Final Grandstand - he pretends to. But he doesn’t.

For Wenger, the FA Cup is a consolation prize; the last bottle of wine on the two-bob raffle table. It’s a nice accompaniment to a league title - as in 1998 and 2002 - but, on its own, it’s lacking. It leaves the stomach empty.

And yet.

Sending the reserves to Stoke, and losing, could end Arsenal’s season. In 2007 / 2008, after a weakened side lost four-nil to Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round, Arsenal won two of the next 12 games.

In 2003 / 2004, after a weakened side lost one-nil to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final, Arsenal lost two-one to Claudio Ranieri’s Chelsea. That cost the Invincibles the Champions' League.

It affects other teams, too. Last season, after Aston Villa’s all-stars - featuring Marc Albrighton, Marlon Harewood, and Barry Bannan - lost two-nil at CSKA Moscow, they didn’t win for nine games.

Why it happens - resting the first team is supposed to help them win, not lose - is a mystery. Does it fracture morale, or momentum? Does it increase pressure on the pampered few? (No excuse lads: you've missed Moscow, so you’d better beat Bolton).

Perhaps. But, whatever the reason, it happens.

If Arsenal lose on Sunday, it won’t affect the league. If Arsenal reserves lose on Sunday - a team of Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas, and Evina - it might.

If they need a rest, give them two days off training. After all, that’s where three of Arsenal’s nine absentees were injured.

But don’t, in the land of the long throw, throw the match. This season’s too good to waste.