West Ham United 1 Birmingham City 1

Dull, Overlong And No One Cared For The Ending by Paul Weaver

After this appalling game Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, said he had escaped, briefly, the Premier League relegation dogfight to attend the cinema. "I saw No Country For Old Men," he said. "It was nice and violent. There were a few red cards in that one."... Guardian

Bowyer Off As Hammers Fade by Anna Kessel

West Ham had been hoping for a fourth consecutive home victory, having beaten Manchester United, Fulham and Liverpool in recent weeks. But a fading performance from both teams resulted in a draw that failed to excite... Observer

Hammers Make Easy Viewing For McLeish by Hyder Jawad

So much that was unexpected came to Upton Park on Saturday: springtime, Fabio Capello, Alex McLeish's smile ... it was that kind of afternoon. And yet, towards the end, with aimless long balls becoming the tactic of choice for both teams, it was something foreseeable that disfigured this match: the Lee Bowyer sending off... Independent

McFadden Leads Blues Revival by Nick Townsend

"It fizzled out on us," reflected West Ham's manager, Alan Curbishley, glumly. He was alluding to the second half, one in which he conceded that neither team "looked as if they were ever going to score". But on this display he may well have been speaking about the remainder of the Hammers' season... Independent on Sunday

Birmingham's Defence Gives Renewed Hope by Patrick Barclay

On A ground where Manchester United and Liverpool have fallen since Christmas, a relegation-threatened Birmingham thoroughly deserved their point. Alex McLeish's defence, protected by Damien Johnson and the impressive Patrice Muamba, made West Ham look very ordinary in front of Fabio Capello... Sunday Telegraph

Dean Ashton Fluffs His England Audition by Tom Cary

Fabio Capello must have wondered what all the fuss was about. After weeks of speculation that Dean Ashton was fed up with his manager, Alan Curbishley, for his tendency to drop him in the big games - thereby denying him the chance to impress the new England manager - the Italian finally pitched up at Upton Park on Saturday only to the West Ham striker fluff his lines badly... Telegraph

Little On Show To Raise Capello's Interest by Gary Jacob

Robert Green had “England’s No 6” stitched on to his gloves, self-mocking his position in the country’s goalkeeping pecking order, but Fabio Capello’s early impressions about the shortcomings of the outfield players would only have been crystallised on the evidence of this encounter... Times

Lee Bowyer Off As Hammers Toil by Brian Glanville

Watching this game, with its plethora of unforced errors, Fabio Capello could only have been confirmed in his reportedly low opinion of the technique of the players from whom he must choose... Sunday Times