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Eddie Howe isn't typically prone to histrionics or sweeping public pronouncements. So by his standards, his media briefing following the weekend's loss to West Ham counts as a angry outburst. Newcastle took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by the interval, while also striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, leading Howe to make a three substitutions at the half-time.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” Howe said. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I believe that was a reflection of where we were in that moment during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. In fact, I cannot recall having done so during my tenure as manager of Newcastle, therefore I believed the squad required a significant change at the break. This explains why I did those decisions.”

Three key players all came off at half-time and the team did stabilise somewhat in the second half, but never appearing like they could get back into the game against a side that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine league matches. Considering 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 the upper and lower ranks, a sequence of twelve points from ten matches has not left the Magpies adrift but, similarly, they must not finish the season in 13th.

The Problem of Expectations

The challenge partially is one of perception. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle possess the wealthiest owners in the globe. The expectation at the time the Saudi fund acquired 80% of the club in recent years was that it would have a transformative effect, as the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The difference is that those two investors assumed control prior to the advent of FFP rules (and the current allegations against Manchester City relate to if they violated those guidelines once they were in place).

Profit and sustainability restrictions restrict the capacity of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their teams and so in that sense likely might have slowed any Saudi attempt to elevate the team to the level of Manchester City. But it wasn't necessary for Newcastle’s expenditure to have been so restrained as it has been; they could have invested further and stayed inside the limit – or just accepted a fairly minor Uefa fine since their big problem is primarily with the continental than the Premier League rules.

Stadium Investment and Financial Rules

Additionally, stadium development is excluded from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the simplest method to increase revenue to create additional PSR headroom would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Considering the site of the home ground, with listed buildings on two sides, in reality that probably means building an completely new stadium. Rumors circulated in spring of possibly undertaking the short move to a local park – resistance from local groups could surely have been overcome with a promise to create a replacement green space on the current stadium site – but there has been any progress on that plan. There has been substantial retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a variety of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle appears completely in alignment with that strategic shift.

The Alexander Isak Situation

The star striker saga was born of that conflict. A bolder management might have portrayed his transfer as necessary to release funds for further investment; rather there was a vain attempt to keep him. That meant the team started the campaign amid a sense of disappointment despite the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The opening was mixed: one win in their initial six fixtures.

Yet it appeared a corner had been turned. They had won five in six before the weekend, a streak that featured demolitions of a Belgian side and Benfica in the Champions League. This explains the display against the Hammers was such a shock. The issue perhaps is that Newcastle’s style is extremely intense, high-energy; a slight drop-off in intensity can have significant effects. Maybe the pressure of Premier League, Champions League and cup competition, five games in a fortnight, had got to them. The German forward started each of those games and looked particularly weary.

Reality of Contemporary Football

That’s the nature of modern the sport. Managers must be ready to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that Wissa’s fitness issue has left him short of attacking options but, regardless of how reasonable the reasons, the weekend's showing was unacceptable –especially following taking the lead at a ground ready to criticize its home team.

The Newcastle boss will hope it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when all players is off-colour simultaneously, but if the Magpies are to secure the Champions League next season, let alone eventually mount an genuine championship bid, they cannot be as unreliable as they have been.