Here was a reminder for those working out the sums at Newcastle United that Eddie Howe needs help to fulfil the promise of a season brimming with potential.
Anything has felt possible in recent weeks as Alexander Isak has become the hottest striker on the globe but Bournemouth’s brutal dismantling restores reality at St James’ Park.
A top four opportunity has presented itself but achieving it without addressing some squad frailties for two successive transfer windows is going to be a tall order.
Of course one defeat, however paltry Saturday’s performance was, should not prompt an overreaction.
As many of the 10 of the players who started were under-par which suggests that fatigue might have helped Andoni Iraola’s side to so thoroughly outplay them.
They have a week before Saturday’s trip to Southampton, which feels like the perfect place to relaunch the season.
With successive days on the training ground, Howe usually squeezes a reaction from his players.
But there were a few things here that should set alarm bells ringing from a black and a white perspective.
First of all, Newcastle’s vulnerability in the centre of defence to teams playing with Bournemouth’s energy and press – which is why Howe and director of football Paul Mitchell coalesced on a move for Marc Guehi last summer.
Newcastle’s need for a more athletic, pacey centre-back hasn’t gone anywhere and their interest in Abdukodir Khusanov, who is now bound for Manchester City, illustrates that they recognised it as a potential Achilles heel.
Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Fabian Schar have many virtues but coping with defensive transitions can be a struggle.
The Magpies are also missing a right wing option to rival Jacob Murphy, a situation soon to be exacerbated by Miguel Almiron’s return to Atlanta United for a fee of around £10m. This has been an issue for two years.
Profitability and Sustainability Rules have shaved Newcastle’s ability to operate in the transfer market and the problem for the club is that contract extensions and the slow rate of amortisation of their squad mean it is a challenge to hit their target for 2025 too.
But the Almiron money will help and Mitchell is there precisely because of his recruitment savvy and contacts.
If this season falls away, Howe will certainly not shoulder the blame solely.
As a club they have failed if a third transfer window passes without adding a first-team player and Mitchell should be the one to explain it (again).
Football has a habit of bringing you down to earth with a bump and Saturday afternoon was open season on those of us – and this correspondent was in good company alongside Alan Shearer – of suggesting if form held Newcastle could have a say in the title race.
Banter merchants Paddy Power wasted no time with a screenshot of a social media post on Wednesday night promoting my match analysis that carried that narrative.
But if the message is that six weeks of outstanding form isn’t enough evidence they are in that bracket, one defeat isn’t necessarily a sign of something ominous down the tracks either.
Newcastle have work to do – on and off the pitch – but the bigger picture remains that they are still in a good place.
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