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Eddie Howe isn't typically prone to histrionics or grand public statements. So by his standards, his media briefing after Sunday’s loss to West Ham qualifies as a angry outburst. His side scored first but the opposition took the lead by half-time, as well as striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, prompting Howe to make a triple change at the break.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” the coach stated. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I think that was a reflection of where we were at that stage 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 the club, therefore I believed the team required some shaking up at half-time. This explains why I did what I did.”

Three key players all came off at half-time and the team managed to steady to an extent in the second half, without ever really looking like they might get back into the game against an opponent that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine fixtures. Given the congestion the middle of the table currently is, with a mere three-point gap separating third from 11th, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a sequence of 12 points from 10 games has not placed Newcastle adrift but, similarly, they cannot end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Expectations

The challenge partially is one of public view. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club possess the richest owners in the globe. The expectation at the time the Saudi fund bought a majority stake of the team in recent years was that it would bring a game-changing impact, as the former Chelsea owner achieved at Stamford Bridge or Sheikh Mansour had at Manchester City. The distinction is that those two owners assumed control prior to the introduction of financial fair play rules (and the ongoing allegations against Manchester City relate to whether they violated those regulations once they were in place).

Financial restrictions limit the ability of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to spend money on their squads and therefore probably would have hindered every Saudi effort to elevate Newcastle to the standard of City. But there is no need for Newcastle’s spending to have been so restrained as it has; they might have invested further and remained within the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor Uefa fine since their major problem is primarily with the continental than the Premier League regulation.

Infrastructure Investment and PSR Rules

Besides which, infrastructure spending is excluded from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the easiest method to increase revenue to create more financial flexibility would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Given the site of St James’ Park, with protected structures on multiple sides, in reality that probably implies constructing an completely new stadium. Rumors circulated in March of potentially making the nearby relocation to a local park – resistance from local groups could surely have been overcome with a commitment to build a replacement green space on the current ground location – but there has been no movement on that plan. There has been significant cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a variety of projects as it shifts focus on local investments; the approach to Newcastle appears entirely in keeping with that change of approach.

Player Sales Saga

The star striker episode was arose from that conflict. A more confident management might have portrayed his sale as essential to release capital for additional spending; rather there was a unsuccessful effort to keep him. That meant Newcastle started the campaign amidst a feeling of frustration even with the signings of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The opening was indifferent: a single victory in their initial six fixtures.

But it appeared a turning point had been turned. They secured five in six prior to the weekend, a run that featured demolitions of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. This explains the performance against the Hammers was so surprising. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s style is extremely intense, high-energy; a slight drop-off in energy can have profound effects. Maybe the strain of Premier League, European and Carabao Cup competition, five games in a fortnight, had taken its toll. The German forward started all five matches and appeared particularly weary.

The Nature of Modern Football

That’s the nature of modern the sport. Coaches have to be ready to rotate. Howe has been unlucky that the forward's fitness issue has left him short of forward choices but, regardless of how reasonable the explanations, Sunday’s showing was unacceptable –particularly after scoring first at a stadium ready to turn on its home team.

The Newcastle boss 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 Champions League in the future, let alone eventually launch an actual championship bid, they cannot be as inconsistent as this.