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Eddie Howe isn't typically given to histrionics or sweeping public pronouncements. Based on his usual demeanor, his press conference after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat qualifies as a angry tirade. Newcastle scored first but West Ham were ahead by half-time, while also hitting the post and having a penalty overturned by VAR, leading 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 that was a reflection of where we were 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 since I’ve been head coach of the club, therefore I believed the squad needed a significant change at half-time. This explains why I did what I did.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth all came off at the interval and the team managed to steady somewhat in the second half, without ever appearing like they might fight back into the contest against a side that had won only one of their last nine fixtures. Considering how packed the middle of the standings currently is, with a mere three-point gap separating third from 11th, and nine points between the upper and lower ranks, a sequence of 12 points from ten matches has not placed the Magpies adrift but, similarly, they must not end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Perception

The problem partially is one of public view. With the Saudi PIF, the club possess the wealthiest owners in the globe. The expectation when the PIF bought 80% of the team in recent years 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 prior to the advent of FFP rules (while the current charges against City concern if they breached those guidelines after they were in place).

Profit and sustainability restrictions restrict the capacity of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their squads and therefore likely would have slowed every Middle Eastern attempt to elevate Newcastle to the standard of Manchester City. But there is no need for Newcastle’s expenditure to have been so restrained as it has been; they could have invested further and remained within the limit – or just accepted a fairly minor European fine since their major issue is more with the European than the Premier League regulation.

Stadium Investment and Financial Rules

Besides which, stadium development is exempted from PSR calculations; the simplest method to raise income to generate more PSR flexibility would be to extend or renovate the arena. Given the site of the home ground, with listed buildings on multiple sides, practically that likely means constructing an entirely new stadium. There was talk in spring of potentially making the short move to Leazes Park – resistance from community organizations might have been surmounted with a promise to build a replacement green space on the current stadium site – but there has not been no movement on that proposal. There has occurred significant cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a range of initiatives as it refocuses on local investments; the approach to the football club appears completely in keeping with that change of approach.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was born of that tension. A bolder leadership might have portrayed his transfer as essential to release capital for further investment; instead there was a unsuccessful effort to keep him. This resulted in the team began the season amidst a sense of frustration despite the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The opening was indifferent: a single victory in their initial six fixtures.

But it seemed a corner had been turned. They secured five in six before the weekend, a run that included convincing wins of a Belgian side and Benfica in the Champions League. This explains the display against West Ham was such a shock. The problem perhaps is that the team's approach is very aggressive, high-energy; a slight drop-off in energy can have significant effects. Perhaps the strain of domestic, European and Carabao Cup competition, five fixtures in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward started all five games and looked particularly fatigued.

Reality of Modern Soccer

That’s the reality of today's the sport. Managers have to be prepared to make changes. The manager has been unfortunate that Wissa’s fitness issue has meant he is short of attacking options but, no matter how reasonable the reasons, Sunday’s performance was unacceptable –especially following taking the lead at a ground primed to criticize its own side.

The Newcastle boss will wish it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when all players is off-colour simultaneously, but if the Magpies are to qualify for the European competition next season, not to mention one day launch an actual championship bid, they cannot be as unreliable as this.