Bolton 1 - Norwich 2: Owen Coyle vows to sort it out

Norwich City’s first win of the season was sealed in the space of five first-half minutes

Owen Coyle has threatened to get tough with his Bolton flops

The fuming Wanderers boss insists too many of his players need to buck up their ideas after slipping into the comfort zone. 

And the no-nonsense Scotsman is ready to shake them out of their lethargy in a bid to snap a four-game losing streak that threatens to scupper their Premier League campaign before it’s barely begun. 

Taking into account their nightmare end to last season, it’s nine defeats in 10 league games, with 13 goals shipped in the last six hours’ football.  Their opening day romp at QPR seems an awfully long time ago. 

Coyle will launch his get-tough policy by hitting bonehead striker Ivan Klasnic with a fine for the first-half red card that ended Bolton’s comeback hopes as Norwich won on the road in the top flight for the first time in 17 years. 

After an unwanted club record fifth straight home defeat, boss Coyle insists there will be changes for the midweek ­Carling Cup clash at Aston Villa – and ­Saturday’s trip to struggling Arsenal. 

He added: “I’m disappointed and ­frustrated.  I don’t know whether two or three players are in a comfort zone, but if they are, that will soon change. 

“You have to face the challenges head on and that’s what we’ll do.  Whether that means we have to change one or two things or one or two people, I don’t know.” 

Klasnic saw red for a brainless headbutt on ­Canaries defender Marc Tierney with his side already two goals down. 

It was just about the only thing the misfiring striker connected with all game and Coyle added: “I’ve no doubt he was feeling distraught afterwards, getting sent off was sheer folly.  He’s a seasoned international and should know better.  He knows he let himself and his team-mates down in a big way. 

“Will I fine him?  He certainly knows my feelings on the subject.” 

Bizarrely, the 10 men performed far better than the 11 had.  They halved the deficit from the spot through Martin Petrov after Leon Barnett’s clumsy challenge on sub David Ngog – the fifth penalty Norwich have conceded this season. 

Only a stunning stoppage-time save from John Ruddy to thwart Ngog prevented ­Bolton denying Norwich their first Premier League win on the road since they earned all three points against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park 33 games ago. 

City’s first win of the season was sealed in the space of five first-half minutes as Bolton went walkabout at two David Fox set-pieces. 

Anthony Pilkington poked home his first top-flight goal from a Fox ­corner, before Bradley Johnson outjumped napping defender Dedryck Boyata to head the ­second from a Fox free-kick. 

“I was absolutely buzzing to score my first goal,” said Pilkington, a £1.5m summer capture from Huddersfield. 

He added: “I just hope the fans not at the game waiting to see the goal on the TV highlights weren’t too ­disappointed.  It wasn’t too memorable a strike!”