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Eddie Howe is not given to histrionics or sweeping public statements. So by his standards, his media briefing following Sunday’s loss to West Ham qualifies as a furious tirade. Newcastle took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by half-time, while also striking the woodwork and having a penalty overturned by VAR, leading Howe to execute a triple change at the break.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” Howe said. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I believe that was a reflection of where we were in that moment during the match and it's extremely uncommon for me to feel that way. In fact, I don’t think I have since I’ve been head coach of Newcastle, so I felt the team needed a significant change at half-time. That’s why I did those decisions.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth were substituted at the interval and the team managed to steady somewhat in the second half, but never appearing like they could fight back into the game against a side that had won only one of their previous nine league matches. Considering the congestion the centre of the table currently is, with just three points separating 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 stranded but, equally, they must not end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Expectations

The problem partially is one of public view. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Newcastle possess the wealthiest backers in the world. The expectation at the time the Saudi fund bought 80% of the club in 2021 was that it would have a transformative effect, similar to the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or the City Group did at the Etihad. The difference is that those two owners took over prior to the introduction of financial fair play regulations (and the ongoing charges against Manchester City relate to if they breached those regulations after they were in place).

Profit and sustainability regulations restrict the capacity of proprietors, however rich, to invest funds on their squads and therefore probably would have slowed every Saudi attempt to elevate the team to the level of Manchester City. However it wasn't necessary for the club's expenditure to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they might have spent more and remained within the limit – or just accepted a fairly minor Uefa penalty since their big issue is more with the European than the Premier League regulation.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Regulations

Besides which, stadium development is exempted from PSR assessments; the easiest way to raise income to create more PSR flexibility would be to expand or redevelop the arena. Considering the location of St James’ Park, with protected structures on two sides, practically that probably implies constructing an completely new venue. Rumors circulated in spring of potentially making the nearby relocation to a local park – opposition from community organizations could surely have been surmounted with a commitment to build a new park on the current ground location – but there has been no movement on that plan. There has occurred significant retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a variety of initiatives as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle appears completely in alignment with that strategic shift.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The Alexander Isak episode was born of that conflict. A more confident management might have framed his sale as essential to release capital for further spending; instead there was a unsuccessful effort to keep him. This resulted in the team started the campaign amidst a feeling of frustration even with the signings of several new players. The start was mixed: a single victory in their initial six games.

But it appeared a turning point had been turned. They secured five in six before Sunday, a streak that included demolitions of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the European competition. This explains the performance against the Hammers was so surprising. The problem maybe is that the team's approach is very aggressive, very high-octane; a minor decrease in intensity can have profound consequences. Maybe the pressure of domestic, European and Carabao Cup matches, five fixtures in a fortnight, had got to them. The German forward started each of those matches and looked particularly weary.

The Nature of Modern Soccer

This is the reality of today's football. Coaches have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unlucky that the forward's injury has meant he is lacking attacking options but, no matter how reasonable the explanations, Sunday’s performance was unacceptable –particularly after taking the lead at a stadium ready to criticize its own side.

Howe will hope it was just a blip, one of those days when all players is off-colour at once, but if the Magpies are to qualify for the Champions League in the future, not to mention eventually mount an actual championship bid, they cannot be as unreliable as they have been.