🔗 Share this article

Eddie Howe isn't typically given to histrionics or sweeping public pronouncements. Based on his usual demeanor, his press conference after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat counts as a angry outburst. Newcastle took an early lead but the opposition took the lead by half-time, while also striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick revoked by VAR, prompting Howe to make a three substitutions at the half-time.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” the coach stated. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I believe that was a reflection of where we were at that stage during the match and it's extremely uncommon for me to have that impression. Actually, I cannot recall having done so during my tenure as manager of Newcastle, so I felt the team required a significant change at the break. This explains why I made what I did.”

Three key players were substituted at half-time and the team did stabilise to an extent in the second half, but never really looking like they could fight back into the game against a side that had secured just a single victory of their last nine league matches. Considering the congestion the middle of the standings currently is, with just three points dividing third from 11th, and a nine-point margin between second and 17th, a run of twelve points from ten matches has not placed Newcastle adrift but, similarly, they cannot finish the season in 13th.

The Issue of Expectations

The problem to an extent is one of perception. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club possess the richest owners in the globe. The expectation at the time the PIF bought a majority stake of the club in 2021 was that it would have a game-changing impact, similar to Roman Abramovich achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group did at the Etihad. The difference is that both of those owners assumed control before the introduction of financial fair play rules (while the ongoing allegations against Manchester City concern if they violated those guidelines once they were in place).

Profit and sustainability restrictions restrict the capacity of owners, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their teams and therefore probably might have slowed any Middle Eastern attempt to raise the team to the standard of Manchester City. But there is no need for the club's expenditure to have been so restrained as it has been; they might have spent more and remained within the limit – or just accepted a relatively meagre European penalty since their major problem is primarily with the continental than the domestic regulation.

Stadium Investment and Financial Regulations

Besides which, infrastructure spending is exempted from Profit and Sustainability assessments; the simplest method to increase revenue to generate more financial headroom would be to expand or redevelop the arena. Considering the site of St James’ Park, with protected structures on multiple sides, in reality that probably implies constructing an completely new venue. Rumors circulated in March of possibly making the nearby relocation to Leazes Park – opposition from local groups could surely have been surmounted with a commitment to create a new park on the existing ground location – but there has not been no movement on that proposal. There has been substantial retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a range of projects as it shifts focus on local investments; the approach to Newcastle appears completely in alignment with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The Alexander Isak episode was born of that tension. A bolder management might have framed his sale as essential to release funds for further spending; rather there was a unsuccessful attempt to retain him. That meant the team began the season amid a feeling of frustration even with the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The start was mixed: a single victory in their initial six games.

But it appeared a corner was reached. They secured five in six before Sunday, a run that included convincing wins 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 the team's style is very aggressive, very high-octane; a minor decrease in energy can have profound consequences. Maybe the pressure of Premier League, Champions League and cup competition, five games in a fortnight, had got to them. Woltemade featured in each of those games and looked particularly fatigued.

Reality of Modern Football

That’s the reality of today's the sport. Managers must be ready to make changes. The manager has been unlucky that Wissa’s injury has meant he is lacking attacking options but, regardless of how reasonable the explanations, the weekend's showing was inexcusable –particularly following taking the lead at a ground primed to turn on its own side.

Howe will hope it was just a blip, one of those days when everybody is below par at once, but if Newcastle are to secure the Champions League next season, not to mention one day mount an actual title challenge, they must not be as unreliable as this.