Next up are struggling West Brom at The Hawthorns and Hughes expects a victory.
City have won only one of their last nine games in all competitions, and some supporters are alarmed at their situation.
Hughes is calling for patience as he aims to freshen up his squad next month when the transfer window reopens.
He said: "We are looking to be really strong in the second half of the season and fully expect to be.
"Obviously we have qualified for Europe now and we have no distractions in that respect until the middle of February.
"We are looking forward to the trip to West Brom, because it is important we start getting points on the board.
"We have the ability in the side to win at the Hawthorns. They will no doubt come out flying, but we have to combat whatever they throw at us by doing the correct things more often than not.
"Winning gives you confidence, and at the moment we are not getting the wins that we feel our football deserves.
"We have produced some good stuff this season, and everyone knows that. What we haven't been able to do is perform to that level on a consistent basis."
Hughes intends to ring the changes again, following the defeat by Racing Santander in the UEFA Cup.
He gave a number of key men a rest, with qualification for the last 32 already secured and a hectic domestic programme to come.
He said: "We will welcome back a number of players, so we will be a lot stronger than we were in Spain.
"A number of English teams have had negative results this week (in the UEFA Cup), because it is difficult when you have already qualified. We expect the performance against West Brom to be much better."
Hughes will monitor Robinho's fitness for the match at the Hawthorns.
The former Real Madrid striker suffered a recurrence of his ankle injury in Spain.
While West Brom have struggled to adjust to the Premier League after winning promotion, Hughes has nothing but respect for his opposite number Tony Mowbray.
Hughes added: "West Brom are a good side. They came up in fine style last season.
"I know Tony well, because I have been on courses with him. He is very much a football man. He likes his sides to get the ball down and pass it around. He sticks to his principles.
"I am sure it will be a good game for the neutral. From our point of view, we are looking to be progressive and win the game." Tweet
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too late MH ... Its called PLAYER POWER!!
Players dont respect you -
fans have no respect for you -
Players are going to make you lose your job pal!!
SVEN GORAN ERICCSON !!
I dont hear the chants of your name Hughesy!
Although I heard Svens win or lose !!!
HUGHES OUT !!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
1 win in our last 8 games against WBA, including 2 losses last 2 visits to the Hawthorns.
Time for excuses is now over, no more empty talk about what is needed, must translate into performance on the field and points on the table.
If we can get a good performance and the 3pts then great. If we play crap and scrape a 1-0, next best thing at the moment.
Then don't play Vass, TBH, Ball, Gelson or Benj ever again,
If you insist on RSC then get Owen as well he WILL score goals, Cambiasso, Tawio and a strong CB are needed to get us out of thiss MESS
CTID
Brilliant news folks, as long as Hughes is in charge we can expect a good second half of the season! The first half will be written off from here on in......! At least we know not to expect too much!
typical of hughes big up the opponents and say how good they are for gods sake they are bottom of the league everything rosey on hughes fairytale world isnt it we will do better 2nd half of season of course we will coz the useless rag wont be in charge by then hopefully
Dear MCFC, if we play better in the second half of the season please can i have my money back for the first half??
The word "January" and "Patience" are testing my patience. SOME OF THE PERFORMANCES BY CERTAIN PLAYERS THAT HAVE PUT ON THE BLUE SHIRT THIS SEASON ARE NOT FIT TO REPRESENT MCFC. Will this shower of s.... be up for it in their cup final tomorow at WBA ?
BLUEBOY MANCHESTER NOT LONDON - You have personally spoken to all the players have you, and canvassed their thoughts ???
You seem to be shouting down everybody who supports MH - but they surely have as much right as you to their opinion.
You are not the mouthpiece for ALL City fans - me included.
I suspect your attitude stems from the fact that MH played for the Rags, whereas I doubt whether the majority of more objective supporters could care less if he gets the team to where we all aspire to.
Over to you - I expect to receive your criticism fair;y soon.
Sad fact of the matter is that he probably could'nt care less whether we win another game or not before he's given the push in the New Year, he'll then have a cheque for many millions in his back pocket and be able to walk straight in to the Newcastle job.
MH is the right man for the job at Newcastle and with a few ex-Utd players, he'll do well there. Through no fault of his own he does not fit the bill with the new owners, who know nothing about football and think in order to succeed on the world stage that they must have someone more exotic from the Continent.
No heed will be paid to the difference between Rednapp and Ramos, City will just become a mid table bunch of soccer mercanaries and show ponies with no passion whatsoever towards a club, which as far as they are concerned, has never won anything, so why should they care?
Perhaps I would less cynical if just for once Robinho patted the badge on his shirt rather than that stupid thumb sucking routine, or Benjani rolled his shirt over his head rather than standing like someone with learning difficulties pointing at the crowd.
Our players have had fantastic facilities and pay-packets for years with the minimum expected of them or given by them. I think a hard lad (Hughes) has challenged that way of thinking and the cushy number these characterless wasters have had. They don't like the new regime and think they can see Hughes and the Tafia off and return to the easy life Sadly it looks like they may be right and a more indulgent regime may follow - for one I really hope not and that we get the run of games we need.
It is tough though, we are too narrow across the middle always looking for the 1 in 100 killer pass, which when we find it falls to strikers who can't finish. Come on CITY I don't want to see Frank Skinners smug head tomorrow p.m.
Top 4 or top 6, which one was it now ?
YAWN YAWN YAWN Samo old same old same old from the numpty,when is he going the man is a comedy.
RSC lol another joke we are heading for a disaster as long as this muppet is ion the hot seat.
Its going to be a long xmas with little to shout about mark my words i have been saying it for months this man is a non starter get rid now.
Just read the piece in the Independent and if it's true then it does give a real insight into just how bad things were at City before MH arrived. It's been obvious from early on even though we were playing reasonably well that certain payers weren't pulling their weight. I posted a while back about managers liking a certain type of player and there aren't enough of MH's type of player at City. We have to light a squad to go in for a wholesale clear out in January but come summer the axe is going to fall on a lot of the current squad. There's a lot of debate about who MH is going to buy and for how much but I think those are spurious arguments, if whoever MH buys helps us to top 8 and winning the Uefa cup then they would be priceless.
We've all seen the names being bandied about in the press and the 2 "nailed on" ones were supposed to be RSC and Diarra for a combined spend of 40mill, if as is now suggested they will not be coming it would be stupid to think MH hasn't got suitable replacements after all who of us could have predicted VK or Zab. All of the suggested players posted on here tend to be personal likes of the poster which is fair enough but again I'm sure MH is taking a more studied approach.
It's obvious from KS's performance in goal on Thursday that we need an experienced goalkeeper. Jask or SG would fit the bill and not be too expensive. I'm not so sure we need a CB, I'd prefer us to buy 2 tough no nonsense midfielders and let VK drop back into the back 4. If Diarra ( who would be Uefa cup tied wouldn't he?) isn't available the the idea of swapping Elano + cash for Cambiasso sounds good plus I'd take a good look at Palacio from Wigan or Bullard from Fulham. The rumoured buy for LB has always been Bridge but I'd be surprised if Chelsea would sell him to us I'd also be thinking about needing a player who isn't Uefa cup tied so that would rule out Johnson from Portsmouth and unfortunately my pick Lescott from Everton but perhaps the need for improving league position will overrule the Uefa cup. Up front if RSC isn't available then we could do worse than go for Heskey and also get Owen, they seem to play well together. I wouldn't be surprised to see Bellamy come to City too, he has played for MH before and he is a Hughes type player. I couldn't see any of the above failing to make an impact at City and they would play their hearts out. I've no doubt MH will surprise us all with a couple of players nobody has even considered which is making this January like having another 31 Xmas days. I can't wait.
CTID
Hope to God you're right, Hughes.
Most City fans don't care where you plied your trade as a player, so long as you bring success here as a manager.
Personally, I don't think you'll ever fit in to the whole family feel of Manchester City. There doesn't appear to be any personality to you. With Sven, you got a champion club manager, a colourful private life and a genuine nice guy. With Pearce, we had the England hero with the stare of a psychopath and the sense of humour of an honest working-class toolsman. Even with KK, there was honesty and a real likeability factor. Results or no results, we ain't warming to you, Mark, and that seems to be what's happening in the dressing room too.
So, let's just start with babysteps for now ...... 3pts on Sunday, please.
Pretty please, with sugar on top - let's do the West Brom.
We the fans expect improvements as well, lets face facts we have spent more money over the last two seasons than most and we are 4th from bottom.
Its time the players realised that success is built on hard work and application. We have a lot of ability in the squad and have been unlucky with injuries to players who would have helped our cause (petrov,boj,jonno) but we are not fooled by the lack of passion and workrate of some of them.
The next three games are crucial to our season, top players do not sign for bottom three clubs.
The time is right for manager, players, staff and us the supporters to stand firm and come together and support the club we love, the fallout in new year if we dont pull this off is obvious and we will all be on the merry go round that is Manchester city with Jimmy Wagg hosting the whos gonna save us now edition of GMR's phone in.
UNFORTUNATELY WE SEEM TO HAVE PLAYERS THAT DON'T PICK UP THE ATTITUDE HUGHES WANTS THEM TO HAVE. I RATHER HAVE THOSE PLAYERS OUT THAN HUGHES. HUGHES TO BE OUR MANAGER FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS MINIMUM.
HUGHES IN-HUGHES IN-HUGHES IN. BEST MANAGER IN THE WORLD !!!
Now, did I sound as stupid as some of the Hughes-out brigade on here? I did ...
GREAT SUNDERLAND HAVE JUST SCORDED THAT PUTS US IN THE BOTTOM 3.WELLDONE YOU LOAD OF OVERPAID GUTLESS NONE TRYERS .
GET HUGHES OUT NOW
GET HUGHES OUT NOW
GET HUGHES OUT NOW
GET HUGHES OUT NOW
Cant even bear to look at his picture now. He's taking us under.
Footballers play for each other or the boss. Let's not kid ourselves they play for the badge or the fans! They're business employees, that's all.
This more or less proves there's disharmony at Carrington and the dressing room. Two names being banded about could dramatically improve or damage this situation even further:
CRAIG BELLAMY is the type of player who could make things worse. Remember the relief at Newcastle when he left? How fractious is he? He comes across as a nasty piece of work, sometimes - a player who will more likely create division than harmony. And he's not even prolific enough to be able to forgive him these failings. This player should never wear a Manchester City shirt.
JIMMY BULLARD is the kind of energetic and quality central midfielder we could really do with, and, he's such a jester, I think he'd bring fun back into the squad. OK, he's not the superstar ADUG are looking for, but I think he'd help re-form the UNIT we're desperately in need of, right now.
The article in The Independent certainly gives food for thought but whether the manager or players are most at fault remains to be seen. The manager may not be happy with he has inherited but has he taken a stand back and wait for the chance to change his squad when he should have done more to motivate his current charges?
We could easily be in the bottom three tonight and that will only increase the pressure on a team that is fragile mentally. However, we should never have got into that position and whatever the issues at City, I think it could have been avoided by better management, perhaps more sophisticated management.
One thing I certainly believe is that certain players are not pulling their weight but I'm also concerned that they have got away with it too easily.
Time for a real (positive) reaction from the City players.
Eric, Dutch, 33 years and still here,
20/12/2008 at 15:11
YES!!
How many goals has our midfield scored or made in the last five games? I would get Weiss, Mee and Caicedo in for 2moro. He spent £70m in the summer and has five points more than the ex-govnor.You can't respect the boss when he picks Vassell every week. Does he know we won the Youth Cup last year...I thought not.
we have got to improve i want hughes to succeed more than anything but it comes as no suprise that this slump has been compounded by the return of vassell and benjarni so he must see this.... say he must please someone please say he must. my god ime depressed.
We are being kinked to Craig Bellamy....Nuff said...Whats the dialling code for Mexico?