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The Newcastle manager is not prone to histrionics or sweeping media pronouncements. So by his standards, his press conference following the weekend's 3-1 defeat qualifies as a angry tirade. Newcastle scored first but the opposition were ahead by half-time, while also striking the woodwork and having a penalty overturned by VAR, prompting Howe to make a triple change at the break.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” Howe stated. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I think that was a reflection of where we were in that moment in the game and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. In fact, I don’t think having done so since I’ve been manager of Newcastle, so I felt the squad required some shaking up at half-time. This explains why I made those decisions.”

Three key players were substituted at half-time and Newcastle managed to steady somewhat in the latter period, without ever really looking like they could get back into the game against a side that had secured just a single victory of their last nine league matches. Considering the congestion the centre of the table currently is, with just three points dividing the top spots from mid-table, and nine points between the upper and lower ranks, a run of twelve points from 10 games has not placed Newcastle stranded but, similarly, they cannot finish the season in thirteenth place.

The Issue of Perception

The challenge to an extent is one of perception. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle have the richest backers in the globe. The assumption at the time the PIF acquired a majority stake of the club in 2021 was that it would have a game-changing impact, similar to the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The difference is that those two investors assumed control before the advent of FFP rules (while the ongoing charges against City concern whether they breached those guidelines once they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability restrictions limit the ability of proprietors, however rich, to spend money on their teams and so in that sense likely would have slowed any Middle Eastern effort to elevate Newcastle to the level of City. But there is no need for the club's spending to have been so restrained as it has; they could have invested further and remained within the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor European penalty since their major issue is more with the European than the domestic regulation.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Regulations

Additionally, infrastructure spending is excluded from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the easiest way to increase revenue to generate more PSR flexibility would be to expand or redevelop the arena. Given the location of the home ground, with listed buildings on two sides, practically that probably means constructing an entirely new stadium. Rumors circulated in spring of possibly undertaking the short move to Leazes Park – resistance from community organizations might have been overcome with a commitment to create a replacement green space on the existing stadium site – but there has not been no movement on that plan. There has been significant retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a range of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the attitude to Newcastle appears completely in keeping with that strategic shift.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was born of that tension. A more confident management might have framed his transfer as essential to release capital for additional spending; instead there was a vain effort to retain him. This resulted in Newcastle began the season amid a sense of disappointment despite the acquisitions of several new players. The opening was mixed: a single victory in their initial six games.

Yet it seemed a corner had been turned. They secured five in six before Sunday, a streak that included convincing wins of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the European competition. That’s why the performance against West Ham was such a shock. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is very aggressive, very high-octane; a minor decrease in energy can have significant consequences. Maybe the strain of domestic, Champions League and Carabao Cup competition, five fixtures in a fortnight, had got to them. The German forward featured in all five matches and appeared particularly fatigued.

The Nature of Modern Soccer

This is the reality of modern the sport. Managers have to be ready to rotate. Howe has been unlucky that the forward's fitness issue has meant he is short of forward choices but, no matter how reasonable the explanations, Sunday’s performance was unacceptable –especially following scoring first at a ground ready to turn on its own side.

The Newcastle boss will wish it was just a blip, one of those days when all players is below par at once, but if the Magpies are to secure the European competition in the future, not to mention one day mount an genuine championship bid, they cannot be as inconsistent as this.