Why do motoring journos "love" Alfas yet put them down? Habit? Deeper psychological need?

I don't really understand why this happens, and it's so common it's almost universal:

The 159 came here in 2006 sans not only the automatic transmission option — crucial these days if you’re serious about attracting more than a few hundred punters (such as myself) — but also the refinement, efficiency, performance and various other things hoped for by those of us who, against all reason, hold Alfa Romeo in some regard.

Agreed, I prefer a manual too, but many people like the auto (presumably for reasons of simplicity, reliability, lowered skill requirement and/or laziness I guess). But why say that it's "against all reason" to hold Alfa Romeo in some regard? It gets repeated so many times that it's become viral, something that many people repeat, even if they have no personal experience with the brand.

It must be part of that psychological imperative to label things again. Oh, and manuals are (arguably) simpler to make and repair and generally offer more car control with lower fuel consumption. As long as you use them properly. It all goes out the window with EVs anyway so let's not bother arguing about it.