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The Newcastle manager is not given to histrionics or grand media statements. Based on his standards, his media briefing following Sunday’s loss to West Ham qualifies as a furious outburst. Newcastle took an early lead but West Ham took the lead by the interval, while also hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to make a triple change 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 our performance level in that moment in the game and it's extremely uncommon for me to have that impression. Actually, I don’t think I have since I’ve been manager of the club, therefore I believed the squad required a significant change at half-time. This explains why I made what I did.”

Three key players were substituted at the interval and Newcastle did stabilise to an extent in the latter period, but never really looking like they could get back into the game against a side that had secured just a single victory of their last nine fixtures. Given how packed the middle of the standings is, with a mere three-point gap dividing the top spots from mid-table, and nine points between the upper and lower ranks, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not left the Magpies adrift but, equally, they must not end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Perception

The challenge to an extent is one of perception. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle possess the wealthiest backers in the globe. The expectation at the time the PIF bought a majority stake of the team in 2021 was that it would have a transformative effect, as the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or Sheikh Mansour had at Manchester City. The difference is that those two owners assumed control before the advent of financial fair play rules (while the current charges against Manchester City relate to whether they violated those guidelines once they were implemented).

Financial restrictions restrict the ability of owners, no matter how wealthy, to spend money on their teams and so in that sense probably would have slowed every Middle Eastern effort to raise Newcastle to the standard of City. However there is no need for the club's spending to have been so restrained as it has; they could have spent more and remained within the threshold – or just accepted a relatively meagre European fine given their big problem is primarily with the European than the Premier League regulation.

Stadium Investment and PSR Regulations

Besides which, infrastructure spending is exempted from Profit and Sustainability calculations; the easiest way to raise income to generate more financial headroom would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Considering the location of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on multiple sides, in reality that likely implies building an entirely new venue. Rumors circulated in March of potentially undertaking the short move to a local park – opposition from community organizations might have been surmounted with a commitment to create a replacement green space on the current ground location – but there has not been no movement on that proposal. There has been substantial cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a range of projects as it refocuses on local investments; the approach to Newcastle seems entirely in keeping with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The star striker saga was born of that tension. A more confident management could have framed his transfer as necessary to release funds for additional investment; instead there was a vain effort to keep him. This resulted in the team started the campaign amidst a sense of frustration even with the signings of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The opening was mixed: a single victory in their first six games.

But it seemed a corner was reached. They secured five in six prior to the weekend, a streak that included convincing wins 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 Newcastle’s approach is extremely intense, very high-octane; a slight drop-off in intensity can have profound consequences. Perhaps the strain of Premier League, European and Carabao Cup competition, five fixtures in a fortnight, had got to them. Woltemade started all five games and looked especially weary.

Reality of Modern Football

This is the nature of today's football. Managers must be prepared to make changes. Howe has been unlucky that Wissa’s fitness issue has meant he is lacking attacking options but, no matter how reasonable the reasons, the weekend's performance was inexcusable –particularly after scoring first at a stadium primed to turn on its own side.

The Newcastle boss will hope it was just a blip, an off-day when everybody is off-colour simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to qualify for the European competition in the future, not to mention one day launch an genuine title challenge, they must not be as inconsistent as they have been.