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Eddie Howe is not given to histrionics or sweeping media statements. So by his usual demeanor, his media briefing after the weekend's 3-1 defeat counts as a angry outburst. Newcastle took an early lead but the opposition were ahead by half-time, as well as striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to execute a three substitutions at the break.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” Howe 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 extremely uncommon for me to feel that way. In fact, I don’t think I have since I’ve been manager of Newcastle, therefore I believed the team needed a significant change at the break. That’s why I did what I did.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth were substituted at half-time and Newcastle managed to steady somewhat in the second half, but never appearing like they might get back into the contest against a side that had won only one of their last nine fixtures. Considering how packed the middle of the table is, with just three points 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 placed Newcastle stranded but, equally, they cannot end the campaign in thirteenth place.

The Problem of Perception

The problem to an extent is one of perception. With the Saudi PIF, Newcastle have the richest backers in the world. The assumption when the Saudi fund acquired a majority stake of the club in recent years was that it would bring a transformative effect, similar to the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or the City Group had at Manchester City. The difference is that those two owners took over prior to the advent of FFP regulations (and the current charges against City concern whether they violated those guidelines once they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability restrictions limit the ability of owners, no matter how wealthy, to spend money on their teams and so in that sense probably would have slowed every Middle Eastern attempt to raise Newcastle to the level of Manchester City. However there is no need for the club's spending to have been so restrained as it has been; they could have invested further and stayed inside the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor Uefa fine since their major issue is primarily with the continental than the domestic regulation.

Infrastructure Investment and Financial Regulations

Additionally, stadium development is excluded from PSR assessments; the easiest way to increase revenue to create more PSR headroom would be to expand or renovate the stadium. Considering the site of St James’ Park, with listed buildings on two sides, in reality that probably implies constructing an completely new venue. There was talk in March of possibly undertaking the short move to a local park – resistance from local groups might have been overcome with a promise to build a new park on the current ground location – but there has not been no movement on that plan. There has been substantial retrenchment from the PIF on a range of projects as it shifts focus on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle seems entirely in keeping with that strategic shift.

Player Sales Situation

The Alexander Isak episode was born of that conflict. A bolder management could have portrayed his sale as essential to free up capital for further investment; instead there was a unsuccessful attempt to keep him. This resulted in the team 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 first six games.

Yet it appeared a turning point had been turned. They had won five in six prior to Sunday, a run that featured demolitions of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. That’s why the display against West Ham was such a shock. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is very aggressive, very high-octane; a minor decrease in energy can have profound effects. Maybe the pressure of Premier League, European and cup competition, five fixtures in a fortnight, had got to them. Woltemade featured in all five matches and appeared especially weary.

Reality of Contemporary Soccer

This is the nature of today's football. Managers have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that Wissa’s fitness issue has meant he is short of forward choices but, no matter how reasonable the explanations, the weekend's showing was unacceptable –especially after taking the lead at a stadium ready to turn on its home team.

Howe will wish it was merely a temporary setback, one of those days when everybody is off-colour simultaneously, but if the Magpies are to secure the Champions League in the future, not to mention one day launch an genuine championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as this.