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Eddie Howe is not given to histrionics or sweeping public pronouncements. So by his standards, his media briefing following the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a angry outburst. His side took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by the interval, while also striking the woodwork and having a penalty revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to make a three substitutions at the half-time.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” Howe said. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I believe this indicated of our performance level in that moment in the game and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. Actually, I cannot recall having done so since I’ve been head coach of Newcastle, so I felt the team needed some shaking up at the break. This explains why I did what I did.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth all came off at half-time and Newcastle managed to steady to an extent in the latter period, without ever appearing like they could fight back into the contest against an opponent that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine fixtures. Given how packed the middle of the standings is, with just three points dividing the top spots from mid-table, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a run of twelve points from ten matches has not left Newcastle stranded but, similarly, they cannot finish the season in 13th.

The Issue of Perception

The problem to an extent is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club have the richest owners in the world. The assumption when the PIF bought 80% of the club in recent years was that it would have a transformative effect, as the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The distinction is that both of those owners assumed control before the advent of FFP rules (and the ongoing allegations against Manchester City relate to whether they breached those regulations once they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability restrictions restrict the capacity of owners, however rich, to spend money on their teams and so in that sense likely might have hindered any Saudi attempt to elevate the team to the level of City. But there is no need for Newcastle’s expenditure to have been quite as cautious as it has; they could have invested further and stayed inside the threshold – or just accepted a relatively meagre European fine given their major problem is primarily with the continental than the domestic regulation.

Stadium Spending and PSR Regulations

Additionally, stadium development is exempted from Profit and Sustainability calculations; the simplest way to raise income to create more PSR headroom would be to expand or renovate the arena. Considering the location of the home ground, with listed buildings on two sides, practically that probably implies constructing an completely new venue. Rumors circulated in March of potentially making the nearby relocation to Leazes Park – opposition from community organizations might have been surmounted with a commitment to build a new park on the current stadium site – but there has not been any progress on that plan. There has been significant cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a variety of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle appears entirely in keeping with that strategic shift.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The Alexander Isak saga was born of that conflict. A bolder management might have portrayed his transfer as essential to release funds for additional investment; rather there was a vain effort to retain him. This resulted in the team started the campaign amidst a sense of disappointment even with the acquisitions of several new players. The opening was indifferent: a single victory in their first six fixtures.

Yet it seemed a corner was reached. They secured five in six before the weekend, a run that included convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. This explains the display against the Hammers was such a shock. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s style is very aggressive, high-energy; a slight drop-off in energy can have profound effects. Perhaps the strain of Premier League, Champions League and cup matches, five games in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward featured in all five matches and looked especially weary.

Reality of Contemporary Soccer

That’s the reality of modern football. Managers have to be prepared to make changes. Howe has been unlucky that Wissa’s injury has meant he is lacking forward choices but, regardless of how reasonable the reasons, Sunday’s showing was unacceptable –particularly after taking the lead at a stadium primed to criticize its home team.

Howe will hope it was merely a temporary setback, an off-day when everybody is below par simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to qualify for the European competition in the future, let alone one day mount an genuine championship bid, they cannot be as inconsistent as this.