From Goonergerry : the uniqueness of Arsenal
The Zagreb game is another of those embarrassing games where Arsenal are comprehensively beaten by lower ranked opposition in an important game.
Almost all the players Arsene Wenger brought in did look ill-prepared to face an away game of this intensity. The team had so many weaknesses the only surprise is we didn’t lose by more.
Yet Arsene Wenger will receive no criticism from a sizeable proportion of fans who follow the club.
These Arsene fans are like the Australian media, who crow like crazy when their team wins yet don’t report when their team loses and act like it didn’t happen. The result is supporters only remember the victories.
Unlike Australia though, the Arsene fans are not interested in winning, only in following a unique brand: a football team cast in an image of style over substance.
The more perverse Arsene is, the more his brand followers love it- he sets them apart.
Being the only manager in the top 5 european leagues not to buy an outfield player makes the Arsene brand followers proud of this moral virtuoso running the team. They will willingly accept absurd excuses without question to continue to identify with this erudite Frenchman.
This uniqueness stems from being a major football club stuck with principal shareholders whose interests are only financial- stockpiling cash to use as collateral when the opportunity suits. And of course the Board aren’t a proper Board, more a bunch of old upper-class gents occupying honorary positions.
Results and poor performances don’t matter.
The brand-followers never put the Board under pressure to deliver better results because that somehow detracts from the fantasy of being classy.