Andy Carroll was named on the bench as West Ham manager Sam Allardyce faced a crunch meeting with Cardiff.
Striker Carroll has not played since his £15million move to Upton Park in the summer due to a foot injury, while in defence ex-Cardiff man Roger Johnson made his first league start alongside fit-again James Tomkins as West Ham sought a first league win since November 30.
Bluebirds captain Mark Hudson made his first Premier League appearance of the season in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first top-flight game in charge, with Craig Bellamy fit enough for a place on the bench after two months on the sidelines.
Cardiff: Marshall, Theophile-Catherine, Caulker, Hudson, John, Medel, Whittingham, Noone, Kim, Odemwingie, Campbell. Subs: Turner, Cornelius, Eikrem, Gunnarsson, McNaughton, Lewis, Bellamy.
West Ham: Adrian, Demel, Tomkins, Johnson, Rat, Noble, Taylor, Downing, Collison, Jarvis, Carlton Cole. Subs: McCartney, Carroll, Maiga, Diarra, Diame, Jaaskelainen, Joe Cole.
