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Eddie Howe isn't typically prone to dramatics or grand media statements. So by his standards, his media briefing following the weekend's 3-1 defeat qualifies as a furious outburst. His side took an early lead but the opposition were ahead by half-time, as well as hitting the post and having a penalty overturned by VAR, prompting Howe to execute a three substitutions at the half-time.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” Howe stated. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I believe this indicated of where we were in that moment in the game and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. Actually, I cannot recall I have since I’ve been head coach of Newcastle, therefore I believed the squad required 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 did stabilise somewhat in the latter period, without ever appearing like they could get back into the game against an opponent that had won only one of their last nine fixtures. Given how packed the centre of the standings currently is, with just three points separating third from 11th, and a nine-point margin between the upper and lower ranks, a sequence of 12 points from 10 games has not left Newcastle stranded but, similarly, they must not finish the season in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Perception

The problem partially is one of perception. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle possess the richest owners in the world. The expectation at the time the PIF bought a majority stake of the club in 2021 was that it would bring a game-changing impact, similar to the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group did at the Etihad. The distinction is that those two investors took over prior to the advent of FFP regulations (and the ongoing charges against City concern if they violated those regulations after they were in place).

Profit and sustainability regulations limit the capacity of proprietors, however rich, to invest funds on their teams and so in that sense probably would have slowed every Middle Eastern attempt to raise Newcastle to the standard of City. However it wasn't necessary for Newcastle’s spending to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they might have invested further and remained within the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor Uefa penalty since their major issue is more with the continental than the domestic rules.

Stadium Spending and Financial Regulations

Besides which, stadium development is exempted from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the simplest method to increase revenue to generate additional financial flexibility would be to extend or renovate the arena. Considering the location of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on two sides, in reality that likely means constructing an completely new venue. Rumors circulated in March of possibly undertaking the short move to Leazes Park – resistance from local groups might have been surmounted with a promise to build a replacement green space on the existing stadium site – but there has not been no movement on that plan. There has been significant retrenchment from the PIF on a range of projects as it refocuses on local investments; the attitude to Newcastle appears completely in keeping with that strategic shift.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The Alexander Isak saga was born of that tension. A more confident leadership might have framed his sale as necessary to free up capital for additional spending; rather there was a unsuccessful attempt to retain him. This resulted in the team started the campaign amid a feeling of frustration even with the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The start was indifferent: a single victory in their first six games.

Yet it seemed a corner was reached. They secured five in six prior to Sunday, a streak that featured demolitions of a Belgian side and Benfica in the Champions League. That’s why the performance against the Hammers was such a shock. The issue maybe is that the team's style is extremely intense, high-energy; a minor decrease in energy can have significant consequences. Perhaps the pressure of domestic, Champions League and cup competition, five games in a fortnight, had taken its toll. Woltemade started all five games and looked especially fatigued.

The Nature of Modern Football

This is the reality of today's football. Coaches have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unlucky that Wissa’s injury has meant he is lacking attacking options but, no matter how valid the explanations, Sunday’s performance was unacceptable –especially after taking the lead at a stadium primed to criticize its home team.

Howe will hope it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when everybody is below par at once, but if Newcastle are to qualify for the European competition in the future, let alone eventually launch an genuine championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as they have been.