🔗 Share this article

Eddie Howe isn't typically given to histrionics or grand public pronouncements. Based on his standards, his media briefing following the weekend's loss to West Ham qualifies as a angry outburst. Newcastle scored first but West Ham took the lead by half-time, while also striking the woodwork and having a penalty overturned by VAR, leading Howe to execute a triple change at the break.

“The opening period was particularly irritating,” the coach said. “Virtually any player could have been substituted and I think that was a reflection of where we were at that stage during the match and it's extremely uncommon for me to feel that way. In fact, I don’t think I have during my tenure as head coach of Newcastle, so I felt the squad required some shaking up at half-time. That’s why I made those decisions.”

Three key players were substituted at the interval and Newcastle managed to steady to an extent in the latter period, without ever appearing like they could fight back into the game against an opponent that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine fixtures. Considering the congestion the middle of the table is, with just three points dividing the top spots from mid-table, and nine points between second and 17th, a run of 12 points from ten matches has not left Newcastle stranded but, similarly, they must not finish the season in thirteenth place.

The Issue of Expectations

The challenge partially is one of public view. In the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the club have the richest owners in the world. The assumption at the time the Saudi fund acquired 80% of the club in 2021 was that it would bring a game-changing impact, as Roman Abramovich achieved at Stamford Bridge or the City Group did at the Etihad. The distinction is that those two investors took over before the advent of financial fair play regulations (while the ongoing allegations against City concern whether they violated those guidelines after they were in place).

Profit and sustainability restrictions limit the capacity of proprietors, no matter how wealthy, to invest funds on their squads and therefore probably would have slowed any Middle Eastern attempt to raise the team to the standard of Manchester City. However there is no need for Newcastle’s expenditure to have been so restrained as it has been; they might have invested further and stayed inside the threshold – or simply taken a fairly minor Uefa fine given their major problem is primarily with the European than the domestic regulation.

Stadium Spending and PSR Rules

Additionally, infrastructure spending is exempted from PSR calculations; the simplest method to increase revenue to generate additional financial headroom would be to expand or redevelop the arena. Given the site of St James’ Park, with protected structures on multiple sides, practically that probably implies building an entirely new venue. There was talk in March of potentially making the nearby relocation to a local park – resistance from community organizations could surely have been overcome with a commitment to create a new park on the existing ground location – but there has not been any progress on that plan. There has occurred significant retrenchment from the Saudi fund on a range of initiatives as it refocuses on domestic affairs; the approach to Newcastle appears completely in keeping with that strategic shift.

The Alexander Isak Situation

The star striker saga was born of that tension. A bolder management might have framed his sale as necessary to free up funds for further spending; rather there was a vain attempt to retain him. That meant the team started the campaign amidst a sense of frustration even with the signings of several new players. The opening 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 the weekend, a streak that featured convincing wins of Union Saint-Gilloise and a Portuguese club in the Champions League. This explains the display against the Hammers was so surprising. The issue perhaps is that the team's style is very aggressive, very high-octane; a minor decrease in intensity can have significant effects. Maybe the pressure of domestic, Champions League and Carabao Cup competition, five fixtures in 15 days, had got to them. The German forward started all five games and appeared especially fatigued.

The Nature of Modern Football

That’s the reality of today's football. Coaches have to be prepared to rotate. Howe has been unfortunate that the forward's fitness issue has left him lacking forward choices but, regardless of how valid the explanations, Sunday’s showing was unacceptable –especially after scoring first at a ground primed to criticize its home team.

Howe will hope it was merely a temporary setback, an off-day when all players is below par simultaneously, but if Newcastle are to secure the Champions League in the future, not to mention one day launch an actual championship bid, they must not be as inconsistent as this.