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The Newcastle manager isn't typically given to histrionics or sweeping media statements. So by his usual demeanor, his media briefing after the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a angry tirade. Newcastle scored first but West Ham took the lead by half-time, while also striking the woodwork and having a penalty overturned by VAR, leading Howe to execute a three substitutions at the break.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” Howe said. “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 very, very rare for me to have that impression. In fact, I don’t think I have since I’ve been head coach of Newcastle, therefore I believed the team required 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 Newcastle managed to steady to an extent in the second half, without ever appearing like they might get back into the contest against an opponent that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine fixtures. Given the congestion the centre of the standings is, with a mere three-point gap dividing the top spots from mid-table, and nine points between second and 17th, a sequence of 12 points from ten matches has not placed Newcastle stranded but, similarly, they cannot end the campaign in 13th.

The Issue of Expectations

The challenge partially is one of public view. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle have the wealthiest owners in the world. The assumption at the time the Saudi fund acquired 80% of the club in recent years was that it would have a game-changing impact, similar to the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group did at the Etihad. The distinction is that both of those investors took over prior to the advent of FFP rules (while the ongoing allegations against City relate to if they violated those regulations once they were in place).

Financial regulations limit the capacity of owners, however rich, to spend money on their teams and therefore probably might have hindered any Saudi effort to elevate Newcastle to the standard of Manchester City. However it wasn't necessary for Newcastle’s spending to have been so restrained as it has; they could have invested further and remained within the limit – or just accepted a relatively meagre Uefa penalty given their major problem is primarily with the continental than the Premier League rules.

Stadium Spending and PSR Rules

Additionally, infrastructure spending is exempted from Profit and Sustainability calculations; the simplest method to raise income to generate more PSR flexibility would be to extend or renovate the stadium. Given the site of the home ground, with protected structures on two sides, practically that probably means building an completely new venue. There was talk in March of potentially undertaking the nearby relocation to a local park – resistance from local groups could surely have been overcome with a commitment to create a new park on the current stadium site – but there has not been no movement on that proposal. There has occurred significant retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a range of initiatives as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the attitude to the football club appears completely in keeping with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The star striker saga was arose from that conflict. A bolder management might have framed his sale as essential to release funds for additional investment; rather there was a unsuccessful attempt to keep him. That meant Newcastle began the season amidst a feeling of disappointment 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 fixtures.

But it seemed a corner had been turned. They secured five in six prior to Sunday, a run that featured demolitions of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. This explains the performance against West Ham was so surprising. The issue maybe is that Newcastle’s approach is very aggressive, very high-octane; a slight drop-off in energy can have significant consequences. Maybe the strain of domestic, Champions League and Carabao Cup competition, five games in a fortnight, had taken its toll. The German forward started all five games and appeared especially fatigued.

The Nature of Contemporary Football

This is the reality of modern football. Managers must be ready to make changes. Howe has been unlucky that the forward's fitness issue has left him short of attacking options but, no matter how reasonable the explanations, Sunday’s showing was inexcusable –especially after taking the lead at a stadium ready to criticize its own side.

Howe will hope it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when everybody is off-colour at once, but if Newcastle are to qualify for the European competition next season, not to mention one day mount an genuine title challenge, they cannot be as unreliable as this.