BOAC,
You are right - normal position in a 320 is a forward position. However, the absolute position is more difficult to judge (as I find as I have gone back and forth between A and B) because the 320 levers are tiny, low down and have a small travel (cf Boeing with long levers, large travel, different position).
Still would like to emphasise, not looking to remove culpability, just to understand how an experienced pilot could find themselves in this position. Only by understanding can we start to rectify. Plenty of people on here just thinking "not monitoring - their fault - carry on".