and if you’ve followed this team for any length of time, you just accept that there will be patches like this last week.

But one thing not mentioned is that this has been a reserve team. Aston off the bench? Boa Morte up front. A midfield that changes week to week. The only constant has been a very good back 5. ( until the 8 they let in in the last two matches). arrrrgh

Europe will be in friendlies next preseason.

The real question with West Ham is if Curbs is the right guy to move them up the table, or are we doomed to mid table for the next ten years with a cup run here and there.

The other real unanswered question is now that the Egg man has gone, do we have the money to build the new stadium, and sign the players needed to break the top 4.

I’d say the Icelandic biscuit man best bring it this summer, or he may find himself as popular as Brown. This season I’ve seen Hammer fans leaving early, less loud, and frankly bored. But that may be because that since 2002 we have been playing for something, survival, promotion FA Cup etc and what a trip its been since Harry left.

2007-2008 is the lull, before the storm, whatever that might be.

Given Curbishley’s inability to get Charlton into Europe after heaven-knows-how-many seasons, I wonder if the West Ham board might get rid of him early before any staleness sets in.

You are right that making signings alone will not help league position if they are not good signings. The overall point was that West Ham have drastically improved from their calamitous 06-07. If they have a similar improvement next year due to player development and acquisition they could easily move up four into the top seven.

As for Spurs, they made some questionable summer signings which did not help their cause. Still they are in Europe again with the aid of January signings Hutton and goal-scoring Woodgate. So while I take your point, I think we can agree that signings can be a potential means of improvement.