West Brom 1 Norwich 2 - analysis

Plenty of positives but no points. Haven't Albion been here before?

Recent years have proven the Baggies ability to raise fans' expectations is exceeded only by their capacity to shoot themselves in the foot.

And so it proved again on Saturday as they allowed another fabulous opportunity to slay their Hawthorns demons to slip through their grasp.

Roy Hodgson must have believed he had made solid progress in eliminating the self-destructive streak that he inherited when he took the reins 11 months ago.

But the latest giveaway on home turf showed that even the wily 64-year-old's Baggies side are not immune from the bad habits that bedevilled the teams of Tony Mowbray and Roberto Di Matteo.

Quite simply, the weekend's meeting with a fired-up Canaries side was a game Hodgson's side should have won.

They played well enough and carved out enough clear-cut openings to claim victory with something to spare. That they ended up with a seventh home league defeat of the season highlighted the carelessness that is threatening to turn what might have been an enjoyable mid-table campaign into another tense relegation fight.

Only Bolton and Blackburn have suffered more defeats at home than Hodgson's men this season and no team in the Premier League has netted fewer goals than the Baggies on their own territory.

Even allowing for the best away record in the bottom half of the division, Hodgson and Co cannot expect to climb away from the relegation scrap without improving their fortunes at The Hawthorns.

Yet once more on Saturday, things could have been so different.

There were two fine saves from John Ruddy, a moment of good fortune for the Canaries keeper and a vital goal-line clearance from former Wolves midfielder Andrew Surman to help increase the agony for a frustrated home faithful.

Then there was the all-too-familiar defensive naivety. Both Norwich goals came when the visitors sprang from promising Albion attacks.

As a man who prizes discipline and organisation in his sides, Hodgson will have been especially upset at the nature of Saturday's defeat. But, as Hawthorns regulars will testify, he is not the first Albion gaffer of recent times to be frustrated by the team's perennial Achilles heel.

Sucker-punches brought defeat in a game they should have won at home to Wigan and losses to Stoke and Everton when draws were the least they should have collected.

And once again at the weekend they were architects of their own downfall.

First, they contrived to reach half-time 1-0 behind despite a dominant 45-minute display in the opening half.

An early shot from distance by Peter Odemwingie was misjudged by a diving Ruddy, who saw his half-save rebound onto the crossbar.

A fine move midway through the half ended with FA Cup hat-trick hero Simon Cox denied superbly by a sprawling Ruddy.

And a sweet volley from outside the penalty area from James Morrison was blocked on the line by Surman.

Only a messy mix-up between Ben Foster and Gareth McAuley offered any encouragement for the Canaries, who saw the Baggies keeper's clearance hit Steve Morison and trickle against the woodwork.

Yet two minutes before the break a poor touch by Cox saw an Albion attack break down in the Norwich box and the visitors broke through Simeon Jackson with Wes Hoolahan's eventual cross volleyed home by Surman.

Shane Long's return from injury as a second-half Albion substitute looked set to add the finishing touch to their pleasing build-up play.

First the Irishman drew another brave save from Ruddy with his first touch, then he dispatched a cool penalty past the visiting keeper after Jerome Thomas's dart at goal was blocked by a Daniel Ayala lunge that, on another day, might have earned the Spaniard a red card.

At 1-1 the Baggies looked the likeliest winners, yet again they surrendered the initiative as a heavy touch from Youssouf Mulumbu marked the end of a promising attacking move and the Canaries broke for their winner.

Grant Holt's ability to race away down the Baggies left will have worried Hodgson, as will the freedom Morison had to head home his cross at the far post.

Another day of promise had a depressingly familiar outcome.

Now Albion must tackle some long-standing problems, or their season might take a familiar course.

By Steve Madeley