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Eddie Howe isn't typically given to dramatics or sweeping public pronouncements. Based on his usual demeanor, his media briefing after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat qualifies as a angry outburst. Newcastle scored first but the opposition were ahead by the interval, as well as striking the woodwork and having a penalty revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to execute a triple change at the break.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” the coach 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 very, very rare for me to have that impression. Actually, I don’t think having done so during my tenure as head coach of the club, therefore I believed the squad required a significant change at the break. This explains why I made what I did.”

Three key players were substituted at the interval and Newcastle managed to steady to an extent in the latter period, but never really looking like they could fight back into the contest against an opponent that had won only one of their previous nine league matches. Given the congestion the centre of the standings currently is, with a mere three-point gap separating third from 11th, and nine points between second and 17th, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not placed Newcastle stranded but, equally, they cannot finish the season in 13th.

The Problem of Perception

The problem partially is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club possess the wealthiest backers in the world. The expectation when the Saudi fund acquired 80% of the club in 2021 was that it would have a game-changing impact, similar to Roman Abramovich had at Chelsea or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The difference is that both of those investors took over before the advent of FFP rules (and the ongoing allegations against City relate to if they breached those regulations after they were in place).

Financial regulations restrict the capacity of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to spend money on their teams and so in that sense likely might have hindered every Saudi attempt to raise the team to the standard of Manchester City. However there is no need for the club's expenditure to have been so restrained as it has been; they might have spent more and stayed inside the limit – or simply taken a relatively meagre European fine since their major problem is primarily with the European than the Premier League rules.

Stadium Investment and Financial Rules

Besides which, infrastructure spending is exempted from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the simplest way to increase revenue to create more financial flexibility would be to extend or redevelop the stadium. Given the location of St James’ Park, with protected structures on two sides, practically that probably means constructing an entirely new venue. There was talk in spring of possibly undertaking the nearby relocation to Leazes Park – resistance from community organizations could surely have been overcome with a promise to create a replacement green space on the existing ground location – but there has been no movement on that plan. There has been substantial cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a range of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the approach to the football club seems entirely in alignment with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Situation

The Alexander Isak saga was born of that tension. A more confident management could have framed his transfer as essential to release capital for further investment; rather there was a unsuccessful effort to keep him. That meant Newcastle began the season amid a sense of disappointment despite the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The start was mixed: a single victory in their first six fixtures.

But it seemed a turning point was reached. They had won five in six prior to the weekend, a run that featured convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the European competition. That’s why the performance against West Ham was such a shock. The issue perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is extremely intense, very high-octane; a minor decrease in energy can have significant effects. Maybe the strain of Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup competition, five games in a fortnight, had taken its toll. The German forward featured in each of those matches and looked particularly weary.

Reality of Contemporary Football

This is the nature of modern football. Managers must be prepared to make changes. Howe has been unfortunate that the forward's fitness issue has meant he is short of attacking options but, regardless of how reasonable the reasons, Sunday’s showing was inexcusable –particularly following taking the lead at a stadium ready to turn on its home team.

Howe will wish it was merely a temporary setback, an off-day when all players is below par simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to secure the European competition in the future, let alone one day mount an genuine championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as this.