Curbishley pleads for patient Ashton

ALAN CURBISHLEY has warned Dean Ashton he must remain patient as he looks to force his way back into the England squad.

New national team head coach Fabio Capello was watching from the stands at Upton Park on Saturday, as the Hammers were held to a frustrating draw by relegation-haunted Birmingham.

Injury-plagued Ashton failed to net for the fourth consecutive match and was the subject of criticism from the Upton Park faithful, but Curbishley rejected any notion there was a rift with the striker and insisted that in time Ashton would be firing on all cylinders in front of goal again.

“Deano just has to keep going. We have been easing him in, and it is difficult getting fit in the first team, but there has been no other way,” said the West Ham boss.

“First things first, Deano has got to get himself absolutely right and he will know when he is absolutely right. Sometimes players can be affected by team selection, the way the team is playing, results, scoring goals. We’ve all got to get on with it.”

The Hammers were certainly lacking a cutting edge in attack against a battling Birmingham side yesterday.

Freddie Ljungberg had fired the home side into an early lead, only for West Ham to be pegged back before half-time by a penalty from James McFadden.

West Ham’s afternoon was summed up by the dismissal of Lee Bowyer in the closing stages for a two-footed challenge on Damien Johnson.

Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, has told his players to “free their mind” as they battle to stay in the Premier League.

The Blues moved out of the bottom three thanks to their point here, but McLeish knows his squad will have to be fully focused to continue their progress.

“You have got to try and free yourself and your mind, going into these games,” said the former Scotland manager. “It’s important not to keep saying ‘we must win, we must win’, as that puts you under much more pressure.”

WEST HAM (4-4-2): Green 6, Neill 5, Ferdinand 6, Upson 8, McCartney 7, Ljungberg 7, Bowyer 6, Mullins 7, Etherington 6 (Camara 83, 5), Ashton 5 (Spector 90, 5), Cole 6 (Faubert 62, 5).

Subs Not Used: Wright, Collison.

BIRMINGHAM (4-4-2): Maik Taylor 6, Kelly 5, Martin Taylor 6, Ridgewell 6, Murphy 6, Larsson 7, Muamba 5, Johnson 6, McSheffrey 6 (Parnaby 87, 5), Forssell 6 (Jerome 76, 5), McFadden 7.

Subs Not Used: Doyle, Nafti, Zarate.

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear) 6: Probably right to award Birmingham’s penalty but Bowyer’s red card looked absurdly harsh. West Ham will be confident of seeing it overturned.

MATCH RATING: ** Poor fare for long spells, with too many aimless long passes. Birmingham will still be satisfied with their day’s work.