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Eddie Howe isn't typically prone to histrionics or sweeping public pronouncements. So by his usual demeanor, his press conference after the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a furious tirade. Newcastle took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by the interval, as well as hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to execute a triple change at the half-time.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” Howe stated. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I think that was a reflection of our performance level in that moment during the match and it's extremely uncommon for me to have that impression. In fact, I don’t think having done so since I’ve been head coach of Newcastle, so I felt the squad required some shaking up at half-time. This explains why I made what I did.”

Three key players all came off at half-time and Newcastle did stabilise somewhat in the latter period, but never really looking like they could get back into the contest against an opponent that had secured just a single victory of their last nine league matches. Given the congestion the middle of the standings currently is, with just three points dividing the top spots from mid-table, and nine points between the upper and lower ranks, a sequence of twelve points from 10 games has not left the Magpies adrift but, similarly, they must not finish the season in 13th.

The Issue of Expectations

The challenge to an extent is one of public view. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Newcastle have the wealthiest backers in the world. The expectation when the PIF acquired a majority stake of the team in 2021 was that it would bring a game-changing impact, similar to Roman Abramovich had at Chelsea or the City Group did at the Etihad. The difference is that both of those investors took over prior to the advent of financial fair play regulations (while the current allegations against City concern whether they breached those guidelines once they were implemented).

Financial regulations limit the capacity of owners, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their teams and therefore likely might have slowed every Middle Eastern attempt to raise Newcastle to the level of Manchester City. But there is no need for Newcastle’s spending to have been quite as cautious as it has; they might have spent more and remained within the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor European penalty since their big problem is primarily with the continental than the Premier League rules.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Rules

Additionally, infrastructure spending is excluded from Profit and Sustainability calculations; the easiest way to increase revenue to create more PSR flexibility would be to extend or redevelop the stadium. Considering the location of the home ground, with protected structures on two sides, in reality that probably implies constructing an completely new stadium. There was talk in March of possibly undertaking the short move to a local park – opposition from local groups might have been overcome with a commitment to build a new park on the existing ground location – but there has not been no movement on that plan. There has occurred substantial retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a variety of projects as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the attitude to the football club appears completely in keeping with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Situation

The star striker saga was born of that tension. A more confident leadership might have portrayed his sale as essential to release capital for further investment; rather there was a vain attempt to keep him. That meant Newcastle began the season amidst a sense of frustration even with the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The start was indifferent: one win in their initial six fixtures.

But it seemed a corner had been turned. They secured five in six prior to the weekend, a streak that included convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and Benfica in the European competition. That’s why the display against West Ham was so surprising. The issue perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is extremely intense, high-energy; a minor decrease in intensity can have significant effects. Maybe the pressure of Premier League, Champions League and cup matches, five games in 15 days, had got to them. Woltemade started each of those games and looked particularly fatigued.

The Nature of Modern Soccer

That’s the nature of modern the sport. Coaches have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unlucky that the forward's fitness issue has left him lacking forward choices but, no matter how reasonable the reasons, Sunday’s showing was inexcusable –particularly following scoring first at a ground primed to turn on its home team.

The Newcastle boss will hope it was just a blip, one of those days when all players is below par simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to secure the Champions League in the future, let alone eventually launch an actual title challenge, they cannot be as inconsistent as they have been.