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The Newcastle manager is not prone to dramatics or sweeping public pronouncements. So by his usual demeanor, his press conference after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat qualifies as a angry tirade. Newcastle took an early lead but West Ham took the lead by half-time, while also hitting the post and having a penalty overturned by VAR, leading Howe to execute a triple change at the half-time.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” the coach said. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I think this indicated of our performance level at that stage during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. Actually, I don’t think I have during my tenure as head coach of Newcastle, so I felt the squad needed a significant change at the break. This explains why I made those decisions.”

Three key players all came off at the interval and Newcastle managed to steady somewhat in the second half, but never appearing like they could get back into the contest against an opponent that had won only one of their previous nine fixtures. Given how packed the centre of the table is, with a mere three-point gap dividing third from 11th, and nine points between second and 17th, a run of twelve points from ten matches has not left Newcastle adrift but, similarly, they cannot finish the season in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Expectations

The challenge to an extent is one of public view. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle have the richest backers in the globe. The assumption at the time the Saudi fund acquired a majority stake of the club 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 difference is that those two owners assumed control prior to the advent of financial fair play regulations (while the current charges against City relate to if they violated those regulations after they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability restrictions limit the capacity of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their squads and therefore likely might have hindered every Saudi effort to raise Newcastle to the level of City. But it wasn't necessary for the club's expenditure to have been so restrained as it has; they might have spent more and stayed inside the limit – or just accepted a relatively meagre European penalty given their major issue is more with the European than the Premier League rules.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Regulations

Besides which, stadium development is excluded from PSR calculations; the simplest method to raise income to generate additional financial headroom would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Given the site of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on two sides, in reality that probably implies constructing an entirely new venue. Rumors circulated in spring of potentially making the short move to Leazes Park – opposition from community organizations might have been surmounted with a commitment to build a replacement green space on the current stadium site – but there has been no movement on that plan. There has been substantial cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a variety of initiatives as it shifts focus on local investments; the approach to the football club appears entirely in keeping with that change of approach.

Player Sales Situation

The star striker episode was born of that conflict. A more confident management could have portrayed his sale as necessary to free up funds for further spending; instead there was a vain effort to retain him. This resulted in the team started the campaign amidst a sense of disappointment despite the signings of several new players. The opening was indifferent: one win in their first six games.

Yet it appeared a turning point had been turned. They had won five in six before the weekend, a run that included convincing wins of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. That’s why the display against the Hammers was so surprising. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is very aggressive, very high-octane; a slight drop-off in intensity can have significant consequences. Perhaps the strain of Premier League, European and cup competition, five games in 15 days, had got to them. Woltemade started each of those games and appeared especially weary.

The Nature of Contemporary Soccer

That’s the nature of modern football. Managers must be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that the forward's fitness issue has meant he is lacking forward choices but, no matter how reasonable the reasons, the weekend's performance was inexcusable –especially following taking the lead at a stadium primed to criticize its home team.

The Newcastle boss will wish it was just a blip, an off-day when all players is below par simultaneously, but if the Magpies are to qualify for the European competition next season, not to mention one day launch an genuine championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as this.