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Eddie Howe isn't typically given to dramatics or grand public pronouncements. Based on his standards, his media briefing following the weekend's loss to West Ham qualifies as a angry tirade. His side took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by the interval, as well as striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to make a three substitutions at the break.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” Howe stated. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I believe that was a reflection of our performance level at that stage in the game and it's extremely uncommon for me to feel that way. Actually, I don’t think I have during my tenure as head coach of Newcastle, therefore I believed the squad required a significant change at half-time. This explains why I did those decisions.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth were substituted at half-time and Newcastle did stabilise somewhat in the latter period, but never really looking like they might get back into the game against a side that had won only one of their last nine fixtures. Given how packed the centre of the table is, with just three points separating the top spots from mid-table, and nine points between second and 17th, a sequence of twelve points from 10 games has not placed the Magpies stranded but, equally, they cannot finish the season in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Expectations

The problem partially is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club have the wealthiest owners in the globe. The assumption at the time the Saudi fund acquired a majority stake of the team in 2021 was that it would have a transformative effect, similar to Roman Abramovich achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group did at the Etihad. The distinction is that those two owners assumed control before the advent of FFP rules (while the ongoing allegations against City relate to whether they breached those guidelines after they were in place).

Financial restrictions limit the ability of proprietors, however rich, to invest funds on their squads and so in that sense likely would have hindered any Middle Eastern effort to raise the team to the standard of Manchester City. However there is no need for the club's expenditure to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they could have invested further and remained within the limit – or just accepted a fairly minor Uefa fine given their major issue is more with the continental than the domestic rules.

Infrastructure Investment and PSR Rules

Besides which, infrastructure spending is exempted from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the easiest method to increase revenue to create more financial flexibility would be to extend or redevelop the arena. Given the site of St James’ Park, with protected structures on two sides, practically that probably means building an completely new venue. There was talk in March of potentially undertaking the short move to Leazes Park – resistance from community organizations could surely have been surmounted with a promise to build a new park on the existing ground location – but there has been no movement on that proposal. There has been substantial retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a variety of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the approach to the football club seems completely in keeping with that change of approach.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was arose from that tension. A more confident leadership might have portrayed his transfer as necessary to release funds for further investment; instead there was a vain effort to keep him. That meant Newcastle started the campaign amid a sense of frustration despite the signings of several new players. The opening was indifferent: one win in their first six games.

Yet it appeared a corner was reached. They had won five victories in six matches before Sunday, a run that included convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and Benfica in the European competition. That’s why the performance against West Ham was such a shock. The issue maybe is that the team's approach is extremely intense, high-energy; a slight drop-off in intensity can have significant consequences. Maybe the pressure of domestic, European and Carabao Cup competition, five fixtures in a fortnight, had taken its toll. Woltemade started all five matches and looked especially fatigued.

The Nature of Contemporary Soccer

This is the nature of modern football. Managers must be ready to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that Wissa’s fitness issue has left him lacking attacking options but, no matter how reasonable the reasons, Sunday’s showing was inexcusable –particularly following scoring first at a ground ready to turn on its home team.

Howe will wish it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when everybody is off-colour simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to secure the European competition next season, not to mention one day mount an actual championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as they have been.