The Newcastle manager is not prone to dramatics or sweeping public pronouncements. Based on his standards, his press conference following the weekend's 3-1 defeat qualifies as a furious outburst. Newcastle took an early lead but West Ham took the lead by half-time, as well as hitting the post and seeing a spot-kick overturned by VAR, leading Howe to execute a three substitutions at the half-time.
“That was the frustrating thing about the first half,” the coach said. “I almost could have taken anyone off and I think this indicated of our performance level at that stage during the match and it’s very, very rare for me to have that impression. Actually, I don’t think I have since I’ve been manager of Newcastle, so I felt the squad required a significant change at half-time. That’s why I made what I did.”
Three key players were substituted at the interval and the team did stabilise to an extent in the latter period, but never really looking like they might get back into the contest against a side that had secured just a single victory of their previous nine fixtures. Considering how packed the middle of the standings is, with just three points dividing third from 11th, and nine points between second and 17th, a sequence of 12 points from ten matches has not placed the Magpies 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, Newcastle have the richest backers in the globe. The assumption when the Saudi fund acquired 80% of the club in 2021 was that it would bring a game-changing impact, as the former Chelsea owner had at Chelsea or the City Group did at the Etihad. The distinction is that both of those investors assumed control prior to the advent of FFP rules (while the ongoing allegations against City concern whether they breached those regulations after they were implemented).
Profit and sustainability regulations limit the capacity of owners, however rich, to invest funds on their squads and therefore likely would have slowed every Saudi attempt to elevate the team to the level of Manchester City. However there is no need for the club's spending to have been quite as cautious as it has; they could have spent more and remained within the limit – or simply taken a fairly minor Uefa fine given their major issue is primarily with the European than the domestic rules.
Stadium Investment and PSR Rules
Additionally, infrastructure spending is excluded from Profit and Sustainability calculations; the easiest way to increase revenue to create more PSR headroom would be to extend or renovate the arena. Given the location of St James’ Park, with protected structures on two sides, in reality that likely implies building an completely new venue. There was talk in March of possibly undertaking the short move to Leazes Park – resistance from community organizations might have been surmounted with a commitment to create a new park on the existing stadium site – but there has not been no movement on that proposal. There has been significant retrenchment from the PIF on a variety of initiatives as it refocuses on local investments; the attitude to the football club appears completely in alignment with that strategic shift.
The Alexander Isak Saga
The Alexander Isak episode was born of that tension. A bolder management could have framed his sale as necessary to free up capital for additional investment; rather there was a unsuccessful attempt to retain him. That meant Newcastle began the season amidst a sense of frustration despite the acquisitions of Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Anthony Elanga. The start was indifferent: one win in their initial six fixtures.
But it seemed a corner was reached. They had won five victories in six matches prior to Sunday, a streak that included convincing wins of a Belgian side and a Portuguese club in the European competition. This explains the performance against West Ham was such a shock. The problem perhaps is that Newcastle’s approach is very aggressive, high-energy; a minor decrease in energy can have profound effects. Maybe the pressure of Premier League, Champions League and cup competition, five fixtures in a fortnight, had taken its toll. Woltemade featured in all five games and looked particularly fatigued.
The Nature of Contemporary Football
That’s the reality of today's the sport. Coaches must be ready to rotate. The manager has been unfortunate that Wissa’s fitness issue has meant he is lacking attacking options but, regardless of how valid the reasons, the weekend's performance was inexcusable –especially after scoring first at a stadium ready to criticize its own side.
The Newcastle boss will wish it was just a blip, an off-day when all players is below par simultaneously, but if the Magpies are to qualify for the Champions League in the future, let alone one day mount an actual championship bid, they must not be as unreliable as this.
