Why it’s all gone wrong for Newcastle as Saudi revolution heads into reverse

THREE years after the euphoria of the Geordie Arabia takeover, it all looked a bit 'Mike Ashley' at St James' Park on Monday.

A mid-table team, scoring less than one goal per home game, deservedly losing to West Ham and their dreams of world domination a distant memory.

The Saudi revolution on Tyneside has not only stagnated over the past year, it has gone in reverse.

In the last 12 months, Eddie Howe's Newcastle have won 15 and lost 14 in the Premier League.

They have better players than they did in the miserable era under Ashley – the Saudis have spent the sharp end of half a billion in the transfer market – and yet they are still downright average.

There is still more ambition and optimism than in the miserable years before the morally dubious influx of cash from the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

A home Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford next month cannot compete with the dizzying heights of beating Kylian Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 early last season.

But it offers the hope of silverware – seventy years after the Toon's last domestic trophy – and such a triumph would be greeted with elation by the entire Geordie nation.

Although Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham have also reached the last eight – all part of the Big Six 'cartel' who fear Newcastle's owners and support the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) that have hampered them.

Since taking over Newcastle, the PIF has poured money into the Saudi Pro League, as well as the sports of boxing and golf.

Newcastle has become less of a priority for the Saudis than originally planned due to PSR.

While outsiders may rejoice at the suppression of a sports washing project by a human rights-abusing regime, broader questions also arise about the competitiveness of the Premier League.

PSR has slowed Newcastle's spending so much that Lloyd Kelly – a free transfer from Bournemouth – was the only summer signing to feature on Monday night – and he was seriously at fault in West Ham's opener.

PSR forced Aston Villa, who broke into the top four last year, to sell Douglas Luiz in the summer.

Unai Emery's men host Juventus tonight, but – like Newcastle last season – are struggling to combine Premier League and Champions League football and are winless after six games.

Neither Emery – the Saudis' first choice as Newcastle boss following their takeover – nor Howe enjoy the depth of the Big Six's squad.

And the ambitious characters who arrived on Tyneside during that wave of euphoria in 2021 have since grown restless.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth quit Manchester United, while it is believed Howe would have been interested in the England job if the FA had been willing to pay £6 million in compensation.

Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes – three players of undoubted Champions League quality – will be frustrated that Newcastle are not playing in Europe's elite competition.

The departure over the summer of Amanda Staveley and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi – seen as the acceptable face of the takeover – after an internal power struggle signaled further problems behind the scenes.

A sense of positivity and unstoppable momentum has been replaced by discord and stagnation.

Howe outperformed in his first full campaign as boss by securing Champions League football and reaching a first domestic knockout final in 24 years.

Although last season's setback was mitigated by fixture schedules and serious injury problems, there are no more excuses this time.

If results don't improve soon – and Newcastle have some nice games before Christmas – then Howe could be fighting to save his job.

Unless the Saudis have really taken their eyes off the ball.

Plans for a major redevelopment of St James' Park, or an entirely new stadium, could reveal the extent of their ongoing ambition.

But while PSR have put a roadblock in the Saudi juggernaut's way, Newcastle should still be much better than this.