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The Newcastle manager is not prone to dramatics or grand public pronouncements. So by his standards, his press conference after the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a angry tirade. Newcastle scored first but West Ham were ahead by the interval, as well as hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, prompting Howe to execute a triple change at the break.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” Howe stated. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I believe this indicated of where we were in that moment in the game and it’s very, very rare for me to have that impression. In fact, I cannot recall having done so since I’ve been head coach of the club, therefore I believed the team 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 half-time and the team did stabilise somewhat in the latter period, without ever really looking like they could get back into the game against an opponent that had won only one of their last nine fixtures. Considering the congestion the middle of the standings is, with a mere three-point gap dividing the top spots from mid-table, and a nine-point margin between the upper and lower ranks, a run of twelve points from ten matches has not placed Newcastle adrift but, similarly, they cannot end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Issue of Perception

The challenge to an extent is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Newcastle have the richest owners in the world. The assumption when the PIF bought a majority stake of the team in 2021 was that it would bring a game-changing impact, similar to the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The distinction is that both of those owners took over before the advent of FFP regulations (while the ongoing allegations against Manchester City relate to if they breached those guidelines after they were implemented).

Financial restrictions restrict the ability of proprietors, however rich, to spend money on their squads and therefore probably would have hindered every Middle Eastern effort to raise the team to the standard of City. But it wasn't necessary for the club's spending to have been quite as cautious as it has; they could have invested further and remained within the limit – or simply taken a relatively meagre Uefa fine since their big problem is more with the continental than the domestic rules.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Regulations

Besides which, stadium development is exempted from PSR calculations; the simplest way to increase revenue to generate more PSR headroom would be to expand or renovate the arena. Considering the location of St James’ Park, with protected structures on multiple sides, in reality that likely means constructing an completely new stadium. Rumors circulated in spring of possibly undertaking the short move to a local park – opposition from local groups might have been overcome with a promise to create a new park on the existing stadium site – but there has not been any progress on that plan. There has occurred substantial retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a variety of projects as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the approach to the football club appears completely in keeping with that strategic shift.

Player Sales Situation

The star striker episode was born of that tension. A bolder leadership might have portrayed his sale as essential to release funds for further spending; rather there was a unsuccessful attempt to retain him. That meant the team began the season amidst a sense of frustration despite the acquisitions of several new players. The opening was indifferent: a single victory in their initial six fixtures.

But it seemed a corner had been turned. They had won five victories in six matches prior to Sunday, a run that featured demolitions of Union Saint-Gilloise and Benfica in the European competition. That’s why the performance against the Hammers was so surprising. The problem perhaps is that the team's style is very aggressive, high-energy; a minor decrease in energy can have significant consequences. Perhaps the strain of domestic, European and cup competition, five fixtures in 15 days, had taken its toll. Woltemade started each of those matches and looked particularly weary.

Reality of Modern Football

This is the nature of today's football. Managers have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that the forward's fitness issue has meant he is lacking forward choices but, no matter how valid the explanations, the weekend's showing was inexcusable –particularly following taking the lead at a stadium primed to criticize its own side.

Howe will hope it was just a blip, an off-day when all players is below par simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to qualify for the Champions League next season, let alone one day mount an actual championship bid, they cannot be as inconsistent as this.