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The Newcastle manager is not given to histrionics or grand media statements. Based on his usual demeanor, his media briefing following the weekend's loss to West Ham qualifies as a furious outburst. His side took an early lead but West Ham were ahead by the interval, as well as striking the woodwork and having a penalty revoked by VAR, leading Howe to make a three substitutions at the half-time.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” the coach said. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I believe this indicated of where we were at that stage during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to feel that way. In fact, I don’t think I have since I’ve been head coach of the club, so I felt the squad needed some shaking up at half-time. This explains why I did what I did.”

Three key players all came off at the interval and Newcastle managed to steady somewhat in the second half, without ever really looking like they could fight back into the contest against an opponent that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine league matches. Considering how packed the middle of the standings is, with a mere three-point gap separating the top spots from mid-table, and a nine-point margin between the upper and lower ranks, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not left Newcastle adrift but, similarly, they cannot end the campaign in 13th.

The Issue of Expectations

The challenge to an extent is one of public view. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle have the wealthiest owners in the world. The expectation when the PIF acquired 80% of the team in recent years was that it would have a game-changing impact, as Roman Abramovich achieved at Stamford Bridge or Sheikh Mansour had at Manchester City. The difference is that both of those owners assumed control prior to the advent of financial fair play regulations (while the current allegations against City concern whether they breached those guidelines once they were implemented).

Financial restrictions limit the capacity of proprietors, however rich, to invest funds on their squads and so in that sense probably might have slowed any Middle Eastern attempt to raise the team to the level of Manchester City. But there is no need for the club's spending to have been quite as cautious as it has been; they could have spent more and remained within the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor European fine given their major issue is more with the European than the domestic rules.

Infrastructure Investment and PSR Regulations

Besides which, infrastructure spending is exempted from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the easiest method to raise income to generate more PSR flexibility would be to expand or renovate the arena. Considering the site of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on two sides, in reality that likely means constructing an entirely new stadium. There was talk in March of potentially undertaking the short move to Leazes Park – resistance from community organizations might have been overcome with a promise to create a new park on the existing ground location – but there has been any progress on that plan. There has been significant retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a range of projects as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle appears entirely in alignment with that strategic shift.

The Alexander Isak Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was arose from that tension. A bolder management could have framed his transfer as essential to release funds for further investment; instead there was a vain effort to retain him. This resulted in Newcastle started the campaign amid a sense of frustration even with the signings of several new players. The opening was mixed: one win in their initial six games.

But it appeared a corner was reached. They secured five in six before the weekend, a run that included demolitions of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. That’s why the performance against West Ham was such a shock. The problem maybe is that the team's approach is extremely intense, very high-octane; a slight drop-off in energy can have significant effects. Perhaps the pressure of domestic, Champions League and Carabao Cup matches, five games in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward started each of those matches and appeared especially weary.

The Nature of Modern Football

This is the nature of today's football. Coaches have to be ready to rotate. The manager has been unlucky that Wissa’s injury has meant he is short of forward choices but, regardless of how valid the reasons, the weekend's performance was inexcusable –especially following scoring first at a stadium ready to turn on its home team.

Howe will hope it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when all players is off-colour at once, but if Newcastle are to secure the Champions League in the future, let alone one day mount an actual title challenge, they cannot be as unreliable as they have been.