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The Newcastle manager is not prone to histrionics or sweeping public statements. So by his standards, his media briefing following the weekend's 3-1 defeat qualifies as a angry outburst. Newcastle scored first but West Ham were ahead by half-time, as well as hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, leading 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 during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. Actually, I cannot recall having done so during my tenure as manager of the club, therefore I believed the squad needed some shaking up at half-time. That’s why I did those decisions.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth were substituted at half-time and Newcastle managed to steady to an extent in the second half, but never appearing like they might fight back into the contest against a side that had won only one of their previous nine fixtures. Considering how packed the middle of the table currently is, with just three points separating the top spots from mid-table, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a run of twelve points from ten matches has not placed Newcastle adrift but, equally, they must not end the campaign in 13th.

The Issue of Perception

The problem to an extent is one of public view. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club possess the wealthiest owners in the globe. The assumption at the time the Saudi fund acquired a majority stake of the team in recent years was that it would have a game-changing impact, as the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or the City Group did at the Etihad. The difference is that both of those owners assumed control before the advent of financial fair play rules (and the ongoing allegations against City relate to if they breached those regulations after they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability regulations restrict the ability of owners, however rich, to spend money on their squads and so in that sense probably would have slowed every Middle Eastern attempt to raise Newcastle to the standard of Manchester City. But there is no need for Newcastle’s expenditure to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they might have invested further and remained within the limit – or simply taken a relatively meagre European penalty given their big issue is primarily with the European than the Premier League rules.

Infrastructure 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 flexibility would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Given the site of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on multiple sides, practically that likely implies building an entirely new venue. Rumors circulated in spring of potentially making the nearby relocation to Leazes Park – opposition from community organizations might have been overcome with a commitment to create a replacement green space on the current stadium site – but there has not been any progress on that proposal. There has occurred substantial cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a range of initiatives as it shifts focus on local investments; the approach to the football club appears completely in alignment with that change of approach.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was arose from that conflict. A more confident leadership might have framed his sale as necessary to free up funds for further spending; rather there was a vain attempt to retain him. That meant Newcastle started the campaign amid a feeling 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 first six games.

Yet it seemed a turning point had been turned. They secured five victories in six matches prior to the weekend, a streak that included convincing wins of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the European competition. That’s why the display against the Hammers was such a shock. The issue perhaps is that the team's approach is extremely intense, high-energy; a minor decrease in energy can have profound effects. Perhaps the pressure of domestic, European and cup competition, five games in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward featured in all five matches and looked especially weary.

The Nature of Modern Soccer

That’s the reality of modern football. Managers have to be ready to make changes. The manager has been unlucky that the forward's fitness issue has meant he is lacking forward choices but, regardless of how valid the explanations, the weekend's showing was unacceptable –particularly following taking the lead at a stadium ready to criticize its home team.

The Newcastle boss will hope it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when all players is off-colour at once, but if the Magpies are to secure the European competition next season, not to mention eventually mount an actual championship bid, they cannot be as inconsistent as they have been.