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The Newcastle manager is not given to histrionics or grand media pronouncements. Based on his usual demeanor, his press conference following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat counts as a angry outburst. His side scored first but West Ham were ahead by half-time, as well as hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to make a triple change at the half-time.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” Howe stated. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I believe that was a reflection of our performance level at that stage 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 manager of the club, therefore I believed the team required a significant change at half-time. That’s why I did what I did.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth were substituted at half-time and Newcastle did stabilise somewhat in the second half, without ever really looking like they might fight back into the contest against a side that had secured just a single victory of their last nine fixtures. Given how packed the centre of the standings currently is, with just three points separating third from 11th, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not placed Newcastle stranded but, equally, they must not finish the season in 13th.

The Issue of Expectations

The challenge to an extent is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club have the wealthiest backers in the globe. The assumption at the time the PIF acquired a majority stake of the team in recent years was that it would bring a game-changing impact, as the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or the City Group had at Manchester City. The distinction is that both of those investors assumed control prior to the introduction of FFP rules (and the current allegations against Manchester City relate to if they breached those regulations once they were in place).

Financial regulations limit the ability of owners, however rich, to invest funds on their squads and so in that sense probably might have hindered any Middle Eastern effort to raise the team to the level of Manchester City. But it wasn't necessary for Newcastle’s spending to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they might have spent more and stayed inside the limit – or just accepted a fairly minor European fine given their big issue is primarily with the continental than the Premier League rules.

Infrastructure Investment and PSR Rules

Besides which, infrastructure spending is excluded from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the easiest way to increase revenue to generate additional PSR headroom would be to extend or redevelop the arena. Given the location of the home ground, with listed buildings on multiple sides, practically that likely means constructing an completely new venue. There was talk in spring of possibly undertaking the short move to a local park – opposition from community organizations could surely have been surmounted with a commitment to create a new park on the current stadium site – but there has been no movement on that plan. There has occurred substantial cutbacks from the PIF on a variety of initiatives as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the attitude to the football club seems completely in alignment with that change of approach.

Player Sales Saga

The star striker saga was born of that conflict. A bolder leadership could have portrayed his transfer as necessary to free up capital for additional investment; instead there was a unsuccessful attempt to retain 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 had won five in six prior to Sunday, a run that included convincing wins of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the European competition. That’s why the display against West Ham was so surprising. The issue maybe is that Newcastle’s style is extremely intense, high-energy; a minor decrease in intensity can have profound consequences. Perhaps the pressure of Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup competition, five fixtures in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward featured in all five matches and looked particularly fatigued.

The Nature of Contemporary Football

This is the nature of modern the sport. Coaches have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that the forward's fitness issue has left him lacking attacking options but, no matter how reasonable the explanations, the weekend's showing was unacceptable –especially after scoring first at a ground ready to criticize its home team.

The Newcastle boss will wish it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when all players is below par at once, but if the Magpies are to qualify for the Champions League in the future, not to mention eventually launch an genuine championship bid, they cannot be as inconsistent as they have been.