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Eddie Howe is not given to histrionics or sweeping public pronouncements. So by his standards, his press conference after the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a furious tirade. His side took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by the interval, while also striking the woodwork and having a penalty overturned 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 think this indicated of our performance level at that stage in the game and it’s very, very rare for me to have that impression. In fact, I cannot recall I have during my tenure as head coach of Newcastle, therefore I believed the squad needed a significant change at half-time. That’s why I made what I did.”

Three key players were substituted at half-time and the team did stabilise to an extent in the second half, without ever appearing like they could get back into the game against a side that had won only one of their last nine league matches. Considering the congestion the middle of the table currently is, with a mere three-point gap dividing the top spots from mid-table, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not placed the Magpies adrift but, similarly, they must not end the campaign in 13th.

The Problem of Expectations

The problem to an extent is one of public view. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle have the wealthiest owners in the world. The expectation when the PIF bought a majority stake of the club in 2021 was that it would bring a transformative effect, similar to the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group had at Manchester City. The difference is that both of those owners took over before the introduction of financial fair play rules (while the current charges against Manchester City relate to whether they breached those regulations once they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability regulations limit the capacity of owners, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their teams and so in that sense probably might have hindered every Middle Eastern attempt to elevate Newcastle to the level of Manchester City. However there is no need for the club's spending to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they could have invested further and remained within the limit – or simply taken a relatively meagre Uefa fine given their big issue is primarily with the European than the domestic rules.

Infrastructure Investment and Financial Rules

Additionally, infrastructure spending is excluded from PSR calculations; the simplest method to increase revenue to create more financial headroom would be to expand or renovate the arena. Considering the site of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on multiple sides, practically that probably means building an completely new venue. There was talk in spring of potentially undertaking the nearby relocation to a local park – resistance from community organizations might have been surmounted with a promise to build a new park on the existing ground location – but there has been no movement on that plan. There has occurred significant cutbacks from the PIF on a variety of initiatives as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the attitude to Newcastle appears entirely in keeping with that strategic shift.

Player Sales Situation

The star striker episode was born of that conflict. A bolder leadership might have framed his transfer as essential to free up capital for further spending; rather there was a vain effort to keep him. That meant the team began the season amid a sense of disappointment despite the acquisitions of several new players. The opening was indifferent: a single victory in their initial six fixtures.

Yet it appeared a corner had been turned. They had won five in six prior to the weekend, a run that included convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and Benfica in the Champions League. That’s why the performance against the Hammers was such a shock. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s style is extremely intense, high-energy; a minor decrease in energy can have profound effects. Perhaps the strain of domestic, Champions League and Carabao Cup matches, five fixtures in a fortnight, had taken its toll. The German forward featured in all five games and looked especially weary.

The Nature of Modern Soccer

That’s the nature of modern football. Managers have to be prepared to rotate. The manager has been unfortunate that the forward's fitness issue has meant he is short of forward choices but, regardless of how valid the reasons, Sunday’s showing was unacceptable –especially following scoring first at a stadium primed to turn on its home team.

Howe will hope it was just a blip, one of those days when everybody is off-colour simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to secure the European competition in the future, let alone eventually mount an genuine championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as this.