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Eddie Howe isn't typically given to dramatics or grand media statements. So by his usual demeanor, his media briefing following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat counts as a angry outburst. His side scored first but the opposition took the lead by half-time, 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 where we were in that moment during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to have that impression. In fact, I cannot recall having done so during my tenure as head coach of the club, therefore I believed the squad needed some shaking up at half-time. This explains why I did those decisions.”

Three key players were substituted at the interval and the team did stabilise to an extent in the second half, but never appearing like they could fight back into the contest against an opponent that had won only one of their last nine fixtures. Considering how packed the centre of the table currently is, with just three points dividing third from 11th, and nine points between second and 17th, a run of twelve points from ten matches has not placed the Magpies stranded but, similarly, they cannot end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Issue of Perception

The challenge partially is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club have the richest backers in the world. The expectation at the time the Saudi fund bought a majority stake of the club in 2021 was that it would have a game-changing impact, as the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The difference is that those two investors assumed control prior to the advent of FFP regulations (and the current allegations against Manchester City concern if they violated those regulations once they were in place).

Profit and sustainability regulations restrict the capacity of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their squads and so in that sense likely would have slowed any Saudi effort to elevate Newcastle to the standard of City. However there is no need for Newcastle’s spending to have been quite as cautious as it has; they might have invested further and remained within the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor European penalty since their major issue is primarily with the European than the domestic regulation.

Stadium Investment and Financial Regulations

Additionally, stadium development is excluded from PSR assessments; the simplest way to raise income to create additional PSR headroom would be to expand or redevelop the arena. Considering the location of the home ground, with listed buildings on multiple sides, practically that probably means constructing an entirely new stadium. There was talk in March of possibly making the nearby relocation to Leazes Park – opposition from local groups might have been overcome with a promise to build a new park on the existing stadium site – but there has been no movement on that proposal. There has occurred significant cutbacks from the PIF on a range of initiatives as it refocuses on local investments; the attitude to the football club appears completely in keeping with that strategic shift.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was born of that tension. A bolder leadership could have framed his sale as essential to free up capital for additional spending; instead there was a vain effort to retain him. That meant Newcastle began the season amidst a sense of frustration despite the signings of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The start was mixed: a single victory in their initial six fixtures.

Yet it seemed a corner was reached. They had won five victories in six matches before Sunday, a streak that featured convincing wins of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. This explains the performance against the Hammers was such a shock. The issue maybe is that Newcastle’s approach is extremely intense, very high-octane; a minor decrease in intensity can have profound effects. Maybe the pressure of domestic, Champions League and cup matches, five games in a fortnight, had got to them. The German forward started each of those matches and looked especially weary.

The Nature of Contemporary Football

That’s the nature of today's football. Managers have to be prepared to make changes. Howe has been unlucky that Wissa’s injury has meant he is lacking forward choices but, no matter how valid the explanations, the weekend's showing was unacceptable –particularly after scoring first at a ground primed to criticize its home team.

The Newcastle boss will hope it was just a blip, one of those days when everybody is below par at once, but if the Magpies are to secure the European competition in the future, not to mention eventually launch an actual title challenge, they cannot be as unreliable as this.