When you look at what Hodgson has done at West Brom, it's not unreasonable to expect a manager with even more pedigree (and who inherited a more talented squad) to perform a wee bit better than he has.
That's generally the idea, isn't it? Work with what you have and try to improve it. If the defence looked like a problem area (as it did from the Newcastle game onwards) that should have been the main focus of attention.
The 23 points from winning positions can be a bit misleading; you might score in the first 10-15 minutes and then be on the back foot for the rest of the game. Off the top of my head though, Stoke away, Fulham away, Man U at home, Fulham at home and Bolton away were all games we dominated and should have got maximum points.