Bolton chief Owen Coyle felt his side's latest Premier League home defeat was 'self-inflicted'.

Coyle was angry with the Trotters' slack defending for both Norwich's first-half goals and had little sympathy for striker Ivan Klasnic after his rush of blood left the hosts down to 10 men just prior to the interval.

Wanderers have already lost three league games at the Reebok Stadium this season – a statistic Coyle is painfully aware of.

'The reality is we had a fantastic home record last year and we haven't done well enough so far to re-kindle that,' he said. 'I mean, we conceded two goals – that is taking nothing away from Norwich who worked ever so hard, they came with a gamep lan in mind – but to concede the goals we did from two set-plays was certainly not good enough.

'The first one, you probably need a bit of luck and it doesn't come our way. I think it has hit the post and then on the way back out it hits Tuncay and rolled back in.

'Having said that it's only 1-0 down at that time. Then the second one from a free-kick, the lad has obviously worked the opening for himself and it's an exquisite finish. There has to be some sort of pressure on the ball, we have not done well enough in that respect. We are all designated markers and we didn't do well in that department.'

Coyle was more upbeat over Bolton's stirring second-half showing – with John Ruddy's late stop denying David Ngog to prevent an unlikely Bolton comeback. 'I think they might have been unlucky not to get something at the end, but that is getting away from the point,' he said. 'I think, absolutely, second half, there was plenty of spirit and everything else you would want. The keeper has made a save in the last seconds of the game.

'Even at 2-0, I felt we could find a way back into the game and then we go down to 10 men. I'm disappointed to have lost the game at home. We knew it was going to be a tough start for us, but that happens to clubs up and down the country at our level. My concern is when we concede soft goals. We have done it today and we did it last week.

'You know in this league players have the capability to beat two and three men and then hit one in the top corner from 25 yards – that has not happened. It has been self-inflicted.'

Coyle admitted Klasnic had forced referee Howard Webb to make a big call after tangling with Marc Tierney inside the Norwich penalty box.

'It was probably an act of folly from Ivan,' he said. 'We all know the rules. If you lean your head into somebody it's an act of aggression – whether there was contact or not I would need to see it back, but there is always a chance you will see a red card from that and that is what happened.

'Again, I think there was loads of contentious stuff and as a manager you want it from your own end. It goes without saying Kevin Davies gets battered into from the back every week.

'The lad (Grant) Holt came on and from the first throw he went to ground and got a free-kick – but that is masking the fact that we lost two soft goals and we need to look to defend better.'

Coyle is well aware his men have lost ground to make up after a poor start to the new Premier League season.

'We have to look ourselves and we know we have let the fans down,' he said. 'They were great and got behind the team for the duration of the game. We have to give those fans better performances.

'Norwich came with a 4-5-1 set up to get a point from the match and really we have allowed them to get in front, to give them something to hold onto, but even with 10 men we nearly got a point. Every game is a tough one, regardless of who you play. I felt second half there was a bit of spirit, desire and heart but we can't wait until we are 2-0 down with 10 men to show those qualities.'