The E******s was even quieter than usual on Saturday, which is saying something. Recalling my student days, I really have been in noisier libraries. The loudest cheer was for the game's only goal and the second loudest - and not too far behind in the decibel count, I'd wager - was for a historic substitution. But before I wade in to the debate de jour, some background...

I once heard someone describe brand loyalty as it pertains to Marks & Spencer as follows: if I go into Tesco / Sainsbury's etc, and they don't have an item, I blame them. If I go into M&S and they've sold out, I blame myself for not shopping earlier.

What has this got to do with the weekend's footie, you ask? Everything. To Ebooooue, or not to Ebooooue; that is the question. But the answer depends on one's attitude to the individual player / brand; and this is a topic where there will never be a meeting of minds. If Cesc, to name the most obvious example, makes a poor pass, we forgive him, perhaps even erroneously but loyally shouting "unlucky" in sympathy and encouragement.

But when Eboue does it, we get on his back. Why? Well, according to the Arsenal website, Kolo Toure does not know the answer, which perhaps illustrates just how far removed today's star players are from the fans who worship them (or, as here, do not worship them). I normally shy from consensus, but I think the masses have got this one spot on. Eboue dives and feigns injury. We all know that and we all find it embarrassing and demeaning to our club.

We begrudgingly acknowledge that ManU's Ronaldo is a superb footballer who would walk in to any side in the world, but how many of us would stop to think at least twice before wishing him an Arsenal player? Many of us, for sure, would hesitate because of the reputation he deservedly acquired early doors.

And that's the trouble with getting a reputation. Once the mud has stuck, it's hard to wipe off, even in the case of a reformed character (I'm not suggesting Ronaldo has reformed; he hasn't). Joey Barton could spend the rest of his life seeing little old ladies across the street and we'd still regard him as a thug. Life's like that. And that's also Eboue's problem. He gained a reputation early doors and he's probably never going to shake that off. And for Arsenal not to recognise their fans' opinions shows - I say it again - how out of touch they've become.

I did not boo him on Saturday but I will not label as morons or otherwise name-call those who did. I am actually far less critical of him than most, recognising that he can give the team "balance" (think AC Milan away, when he played right wing), the word Arsene used in answer to a question at the shareholders' Q&A last season. And he did some good things earlier in the game, one backheel being exquisite; especially so within the context of another lacklustre performance. Also in mitigation it should be recognised that he was playing out of position and coming back from a long lay-off in a far-from-ideal way - i.e. as a first half substitute for the injured Nasri. Such facts get ignored by the masses when a brand is tainted.

But two other points are worth noting, I think. First, Arsene says on the website that "fans' criticism will strengthen Eboue". If so, we will all shout "good". Surely this is what shows of displeasure are intended to procure? And this goes for recent team performances, which it has become more commonplace to boo. Gooners and non-Gooners alike, both fans and those in the game, question Arsenal's collective commitment and stomach for a fight against the non-Big Four. Not renewing one's season ticket for one season only - choosing to pick games instead in the interim - is no longer an option. "Join the back of the queue" will be the cry upon re-application. There is no other way for fans to show their angst.

Second, and significantly, I think the Eboue substitution boos were also directed at Arsene. We know he is formulaic in his substitutions, which is probably one of the few criticisms of him that I will countenance. To re-cap, this formula involves only substituting the very young players and, as on Saturday, not introducing them too early, for which read before an hour has passed. That's why Ramsey or Wilshere did not replace Nasri, as the majority would surely have wanted. The truth is that those 90th minute cheers were only partly a snub to Eboue; they were also directed ironically at a man, sometimes criticised for his eyesight, who simply refuses to hear (until now).