🔗 Share this article

Eddie Howe isn't typically given to dramatics or sweeping media pronouncements. Based on his standards, his media briefing after Sunday’s loss to West Ham counts as a furious outburst. His side scored first but the opposition were ahead by half-time, while also striking the woodwork and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, leading Howe to execute a triple change at the half-time.

“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” the coach said. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I think this indicated of our performance level in that moment during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to have that impression. In fact, I cannot recall having done so during my tenure as head coach of the club, therefore I believed the team required a significant change at the break. That’s why I made what I did.”

Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade and Emil Krafth all came off at half-time and the team managed to steady to an extent in the latter period, without ever appearing like they could get back into the contest against a side that had secured just a single victory of their last nine fixtures. Considering the congestion the centre of the standings is, with a mere three-point gap separating third from 11th, and nine points between the upper and lower ranks, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not left the Magpies adrift but, equally, they cannot end the campaign in 13th.

The Issue of Perception

The problem to an extent is one of public view. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club possess the wealthiest backers in the world. The assumption at the time the Saudi fund acquired a majority stake of the club in 2021 was that it would bring a transformative effect, as Roman Abramovich achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group had at Manchester City. The difference is that those two owners assumed control before the advent of FFP rules (and the current charges against City concern if they violated those guidelines after they were implemented).

Profit and sustainability regulations limit the ability of owners, however rich, to spend money on their teams and therefore likely might have hindered every Middle Eastern attempt to elevate Newcastle to the standard of City. But it wasn't necessary for the club's spending to have been so restrained as it has; they could have spent more and stayed inside the threshold – or simply taken a relatively meagre Uefa fine given their major issue is primarily with the European than the domestic rules.

Infrastructure Spending and PSR Rules

Additionally, stadium development is exempted from PSR assessments; the simplest method to raise income to generate additional PSR flexibility would be to extend or renovate the stadium. Considering the site of the home ground, with listed buildings on multiple sides, practically that likely means building an entirely new stadium. Rumors circulated in spring of potentially making the nearby relocation to a local park – resistance from local groups could surely 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 proposal. There has been significant cutbacks from the Saudi fund on a variety of projects as it shifts focus on local investments; the approach to Newcastle appears entirely in keeping with that change of approach.

The Alexander Isak Saga

The star striker saga was arose from that tension. A more confident leadership could have portrayed his transfer as necessary to release capital for additional spending; rather there was a vain effort to retain him. This resulted in the team started the campaign amidst a feeling of frustration despite the signings of several new players. The start was indifferent: one win in their first six fixtures.

Yet it seemed a corner had been turned. They secured five victories in six matches prior to Sunday, a streak that featured convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the European competition. That’s why the performance against the Hammers was so surprising. The issue maybe is that the team's style is very aggressive, high-energy; a minor decrease in energy can have profound effects. Maybe the pressure of domestic, European and cup matches, five games in a fortnight, had taken its toll. The German forward started all five games and appeared particularly weary.

The Nature of Modern Soccer

This is the nature of modern the sport. Coaches have to be ready to rotate. The manager has been unfortunate that Wissa’s fitness issue has left him lacking attacking options but, no matter how valid the reasons, the weekend's showing was unacceptable –particularly after taking the lead at a stadium ready to criticize its own side.

The Newcastle boss will wish it was just a blip, one of those days when all players is off-colour at once, but if Newcastle are to secure the European competition in the future, let alone one day launch an actual title challenge, they must not be as unreliable as they have been.