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The Newcastle manager is not prone to dramatics or sweeping media statements. Based on his usual demeanor, his press conference after the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a angry tirade. His side scored first but West Ham took the lead by half-time, as well as hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, leading Howe to make a triple change at the break.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” the coach stated. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I believe that was a reflection of where we were at that stage during the match and it's extremely uncommon for me to have that impression. Actually, I don’t think having done so during my tenure as head coach of the club, so I felt the squad required some shaking up at half-time. This explains why I made what I did.”

Three key players were substituted at the interval and Newcastle did stabilise to an extent in the latter period, but never really looking like they might fight back into the contest against an opponent that had won only one of their last nine league matches. Given how packed the centre of the standings currently is, with a mere three-point gap dividing the top spots from mid-table, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not left Newcastle stranded but, similarly, they must not end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Expectations

The problem partially is one of perception. With the Saudi PIF, the club possess the wealthiest backers in the globe. The assumption when the Saudi fund bought 80% of the team in recent years was that it would bring a game-changing impact, similar to 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 advent of financial fair play regulations (while the ongoing charges against Manchester City relate to if they violated those guidelines once they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability regulations limit the ability of proprietors, however rich, to invest funds on their teams and so in that sense probably would have slowed any Middle Eastern effort to raise the team to the standard of Manchester City. However it wasn't necessary for the club's spending to have been so restrained as it has been; they might have invested further and remained within the limit – or just accepted a relatively meagre Uefa fine since their major issue is primarily with the continental than the Premier League rules.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Regulations

Additionally, infrastructure spending is exempted from PSR assessments; the simplest method to increase revenue to create additional financial flexibility would be to expand or redevelop the arena. Considering the site of the home ground, with protected structures on two sides, in reality that probably implies constructing an entirely new stadium. There was talk in spring of potentially making the short move 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 been no movement on that proposal. There has been substantial retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a variety of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle appears completely in alignment with that change of approach.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak saga was born of that tension. A bolder management might have framed his sale as essential to free up capital for additional spending; rather there was a unsuccessful effort to retain him. That meant the team started the campaign amidst a sense of disappointment despite the acquisitions of several new players. The opening was indifferent: a single victory in their first six games.

But it seemed a turning point had been turned. They secured five in six before the weekend, a run that included demolitions of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the European competition. That’s why the performance against the Hammers was such a shock. The issue perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is very aggressive, high-energy; a minor decrease in intensity can have significant effects. Perhaps the strain of Premier League, European and cup matches, five fixtures in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward started all five matches and appeared especially fatigued.

The Nature of Contemporary Soccer

That’s the nature of today's football. Managers have to be ready to rotate. Howe has been unlucky that the forward's injury has left him short of attacking options but, regardless of how valid the reasons, the weekend's performance was inexcusable –particularly after scoring first at a stadium ready to criticize its own side.

The Newcastle boss will wish it was just a blip, an off-day when everybody is below par simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to qualify for the European competition in the future, not to mention one day mount an genuine championship bid, they must not be as unreliable as this.