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Eddie Howe isn't typically given to dramatics or sweeping media statements. So by his standards, his press conference following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat qualifies as a furious tirade. His side took an early lead but West Ham were ahead by the interval, while also striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, prompting Howe to make a triple change at the half-time.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” the coach said. “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 cannot recall I have during my tenure as head coach of Newcastle, therefore I believed the squad required some shaking up at half-time. That’s why I made what I did.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth all came off at the interval and Newcastle managed to steady somewhat in the second half, without ever appearing like they might fight back into the contest against a side that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine league matches. Considering the congestion the centre of the standings is, with just three points dividing third from 11th, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a sequence of twelve points from ten matches has not left Newcastle adrift but, similarly, they cannot finish the season in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Perception

The challenge to an extent is one of public view. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle possess the wealthiest backers in the world. The assumption at the time the PIF bought a majority stake of the club in recent years was that it would have a transformative effect, similar to Roman Abramovich achieved at Stamford Bridge or Sheikh Mansour did at the Etihad. The difference is that both of those investors took over prior to the advent of financial fair play regulations (while the current allegations against Manchester City relate to whether they breached those regulations after they were in place).

Financial regulations limit the ability of proprietors, however rich, to spend money on their squads and so in that sense probably would have hindered every Middle Eastern attempt to raise Newcastle to the standard of City. But it wasn't necessary for Newcastle’s expenditure to have been so restrained as it has; they could have spent more and remained within the limit – or simply taken a fairly minor Uefa penalty given their big problem is primarily with the European than the Premier League rules.

Infrastructure Spending and Financial Regulations

Besides which, stadium development is excluded from PSR assessments; the simplest way to raise income to generate more financial headroom would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Given the location of the home ground, with listed buildings on two sides, in reality that likely means building an entirely new stadium. There was talk in spring of potentially undertaking the short move to a local park – resistance from local groups could surely have been surmounted with a promise to build a replacement green space on the existing ground location – but there has been no movement on that proposal. There has been significant retrenchment from the PIF on a range of projects as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the approach to the football club appears completely in keeping with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Situation

The star striker saga was born of that conflict. A bolder management could have framed his sale as necessary to release capital for further spending; instead there was a vain attempt to keep him. This resulted in Newcastle began the season amidst a feeling of frustration despite the signings of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The opening was mixed: a single victory in their initial six fixtures.

Yet it appeared a corner had been turned. They had won five victories in six matches prior to Sunday, a streak that featured demolitions of a Belgian side and Benfica in the European competition. That’s why the display against West Ham was such a shock. The issue perhaps is that Newcastle’s style is extremely intense, very high-octane; a minor decrease in intensity can have profound effects. Maybe the pressure of Premier League, European and cup competition, five fixtures in 15 days, had taken its toll. The German forward started each of those matches and looked particularly weary.

The Nature of Contemporary Soccer

That’s the nature of modern football. Managers must be prepared to make changes. Howe has been unfortunate that Wissa’s injury has meant he is short of attacking options but, regardless of how reasonable the explanations, the weekend's showing was inexcusable –especially following taking the lead at a ground ready to criticize its own side.

Howe will wish it was merely a temporary setback, an off-day when everybody is off-colour at once, but if the Magpies are to secure the Champions League next season, let alone one day mount an actual title challenge, they cannot be as unreliable as they have been.