But the Dutch midfielder says team spirit is still intact - and pledged they intend to start putting things right in Wednesday night's Carling Cup quarter-final against Arsenal.
The Holland international reflected the frustration of the dressing room after the Blues had been denied a win over Hull by a dubious late penalty.
But he conceded with the quality of players out on the pitch, it should not have come down to a questionable refereeing decision - and said the team as a whole is at fault.
"We have to sort it out," said the former Ajax and Hamburg ace.
"We are frustrated at the way we played, and the way we have played in the last couple of weeks at home. We have to dominate teams here, and that didn't happen. We need to pick ourselves up and look forward to the game against Arsenal."
An increasing number of fans are losing faith with Hughes and one leading bookie has Guus Hiddink and the charismatic Jose Mourinho favourities to replace him. But the manager is on schedule to fulfil the criteria laid down at the start of the season, when the owners made it plain they expected a top-six finish and possibly a cup triumph.
City lie in seventh, with a game in hand on five of the six teams ahead of them, and are one game away from their first cup semi-final for 28 years.
City record
The run of draws has been maddening for manager, players and fans alike, especially those at home.
The Blues' run is a top-flight record, but de Jong admits he is puzzled as to why the team has under-performed in the home stalemates with Fulham, Burnley and now Hull.
"I would love to give you a reason - if I could give you the reason, we would win all of our games," he said.
"Maybe there is a lack of confidence in some situations. We try to keep our confidence high, especially when we play at home. We are frustrated but have to continue to build for the future, and these kinds of games are always hard to play.
"There are a few factors, but we have to give more in every line of our game - midfield, defence and attack. It's a team thing and we have to work harder and harder to get where we want to be.
"It was disappointing to play at home again and to concede in the 80th minute. It was also the seventh draw, so we don't get any closer to the top four. Now it is up to us to take it on the chin and come out fighting on Wednesday."
How can City break their run of draws? Have your say.
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Nick The Voice of Reason,, Surrey Hills,( Blackley Born and Bred.) (30/11/2009 at 09:01)
Fred Eyre's Stationer, Leeds (30/11/2009 at 09:08)
Also I agree that the team seems to be suffering from a lack of confidence at the moment - it happens to every team at some point in the season - and just 1 win will possibly bring that confidence back and we'll start accruing 3 points on a regular basis again!
Be positive and we will achieve!
RJKS, St Retford (30/11/2009 at 09:09)
City Slipper, Manchester (30/11/2009 at 09:17)
RSC was shocking against Hull in terms of effort (and his touch was very poor). There are no excuses for a lack of effort. Say what you like about Tevez but he runs himself ragged. A good coach would know how to harness that energy and point it in the right direction. Not a lot you can do with the 17 million RSC in my opinion. A very poor deal on behalf of our club. On a par with Jo I would say, perhaps worse because of his age.
We do have some very good players in the squad and we are not blighted by injuries. Time for an excellent coach now. Hiddink must be approached immediately, if we are to stand any chance of securing his services.
Mag (30/11/2009 at 09:18)
08/09 MH 10th place and 50p with time and AbuDhabi
09/10 MH 7th place and 60p (projected form points won now) with even more time, money and players and AbuDhabi
I hope this year will improve....otherwise MH-sack-o-rama
BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (30/11/2009 at 09:38)
Ambient (30/11/2009 at 09:41)
Incidentally Nigel its Mark Hughes who picks the team and determines the tactics but its good of you to take the flak for him but he is very good at dodging responsibility.
The Insider, CTID. (30/11/2009 at 09:43)
Rick Hincks (30/11/2009 at 09:51)
We need to look at how many changes our team and back four have gone through in recent times and remind ourselves that this is still a work in progress.
We played well as a unit on Saturday and have sorted our defence out in the last two games. We also need to look at how the smaller teams are now playing flat back 10 when they play us, we've never had that before so need to get used to breaking them down.
Let's not forget that we've only lost 1 and are only 3 pts off 4th and 5pts off 3rd with a game in hand. I'm happy with that. Let's remember our targets for this season and keep our expectations realistic.
Hughes is a manager for the future, we need to finally get longevity from a manager and he's the man to do it. We will get long term success with him.
Mourinho's not going to come and if we get someone like him he will bring his own backroom staff re-assemble the squad, bring us success for a couple of years and then clear off to another team. What's the point?
The Insider, CTID. (30/11/2009 at 09:52)
Bobcat44, Withington M20 (30/11/2009 at 09:52)
The display against Hull was a sad reflection of current performances, too much showboating,too much posturing, too many individuals trying to out shine one another.
The mental approach of some players has to be questioned......Adebayor appears indiferent and unwilling in what was for me his most insipid display for the club so far.
Tevez lost his disiplin and ran around in circles instead of sticking to what he's good at.
Toure looked woeful in defence....I had hoped he was leadership material, instead he looks fragile when the pressure is really on.
Why for example did no one man mark Bullock????? Stop him and you stop Hull. He ran the mid field by doing the simple things effectively.
Robi did lift the team for 15 minutes (two excellent attempts on goal)or so but tried too many flicks and tricks (as did SI and SWP). A more direct approach in front of goal would produce more goals. It's no use trying to walk the ball into the net.
A winning mentality does not come easily but City have the players to instill that attitude.....if only they would play as a team.
Some players need to look at their so called professional approach to the football club after a display like that.....instead of enjoying the Manchester nightlife. After a display like that I'd hang my head in shame, rather than sampling the ample offerings of city life!!!
You can't blame the manager for everything.....I think a number of players are disrespecting MH at the moment, that cannot be allowed to continue...... whatever you think of Hughes he is still the manager.
trevels1968 , Failsworth (30/11/2009 at 09:57)
The average player ratings for Santa Cruz, Adebayor and Tevez respectively.
"Welcome to Manchester"
What a bunch of jokers you are!
Esso Blue, In Association with prometheus , Manchester (30/11/2009 at 10:01)
Draw inference:
arrive at, ascertain, assume, believe, collect, conjecture, construe, deduce, derive, draw, draw inference, figure, figure out, gather, glean, guess, induce, interpret, intuit, judge, presume, presuppose, reach conclusion, read between lines, read into, reason, reckon, speculate, suppose, surmise, think, understand
It looks like we need 11 captains all communicating with each other and putting each others wrongs right. People need to check each others positions in case one fails.
ethan, Gloucester (30/11/2009 at 10:02)
The guy has no idea!!
Blue Jazzman, Marple (30/11/2009 at 10:06)
Mark Hughes and Mark Bowen were warming down after the Hull match – it seems they like to do a de briefing away from the glare of the press. This is what Korma Ken heard
“Well Mark another draw”
“Yes, Mark, if we keep this up we will start to break records Look You”
“Er, I think we have broken records, Mark”
“Have we really? There you are, I knew we would do it one day, I always said we were Work in Progress, isn’t it?”
“I wonder why we do draw so much Mark”
“ I don’t know, all I know is I could kick myself Mark, I always forget something”
“ What have you forgotten now Boyo?”
“Well, Mark, I had fully intended to ask Shaun to stay behind after training for five minutes one day this week to practice taking corners”
“That would have been a good idea Mark – actually Mark I forgot something too, isn’t it?”
“What was that Mark?”
“Well, Mark, I was going to ask Carlos to practice taking free kicks from outside the area”
“But we don’t have fee kicks out side the area, Boyo, the stadium is always in Eastlands”
“No Mark, the penalty area”
“Oh crikey, yeh, they were rubbish, weren’t they”
“Mark”
“Yes, Mark”
“Should we make notes like other managers, so we don’t forget things?”
“We don’t have a note pad Mark. Maybe we should ask that nice Sheik for one”
“I’ll make a note to remember to ask him. Well I would if I had a pad Mark”
“Not easy managing is it Mark?”
“Not at all – I mean look at tactics Boyo”
“Ooh I like those Mark, especially the orange flavours”
“No ! Tactics Mark. – You know playing to the strengths of your players, changing the shape, closing games down, controlling the pace of the game, cancelling out the oppositions best players, “
“Hang on Mark, I have nothing to make notes on”
“Then there’s motivation – other teams do that”
“Crikey Boyo”
“You see, they do tactics, motivation, preparation, practice and all that and we have money – it sort of evens itself out”
“You mean that’s why we keep drawing, Mark”
“It must be Mark”
“Hey I must be going – fancy some chips and curry Mark?”
“I think I’ll have some tactics Mark Look You”
IS IT REALLY 33 YEARS, TAMESIDE (30/11/2009 at 10:07)
BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (30/11/2009 at 10:18)
kevin cairns, morecambe (30/11/2009 at 10:20)
Ambivalent One,, East Stand Lower (30/11/2009 at 10:24)
Secondly the negatives....
LESLIE MARK HUGHES
Nuff said, get rid before he does anymore damage.
neiljung, Moss Side (30/11/2009 at 10:24)
Phil Neal's Laxative, Half asleep somewhere (30/11/2009 at 10:40)
The next few days are BIG. If we manage to dump Arsenal out of the cup and beat Chelsea, the Unmagnificent Seven will be promptly forgotten. And this is the kind of thing we do, as all genuine City fans on this forum will appreciate.
Keep the faith!
kevin cairns, morecambe (30/11/2009 at 10:41)
Chris-Sao Paulo, JP, Brazil (30/11/2009 at 10:42)
We only play well when we're behind, which suggests that the players throw Hughes's tactics out of the window when we're behind and decide to go for it. When we get back level, we go back to Hughes's plot. We never kill off the game or show any urgency. Only against Arsenal. Only once.
Hiddink, Scolari, Trapattoni are all available. I imagine Hughes will be out soon, especially as Abu Dhabi shares are taking a tumble. It'll be time to cut losses.
armchair supporter, Manchester (30/11/2009 at 10:43)
JJ The Blue! (30/11/2009 at 10:43)
Although people may say I am jumping on the bandwagon, the people that know me will tell you that I have disliked Hughes as manager from day one of his reign. Why? The man is very smartly dressed - he is very eloquent in front of the cameras (even if he uses the word "obviously" too many times) - he was an excellent player, who I greatly admired. No -the reason I have never liked him is because of his inability to see what is actually happening on the pitch and doing something about it with his substitutions.
I don't know why, but the team does appear very disjointed. At times, when we are going forward (I think of the Arsenal game and the flowing move against Hull on Saturday) we look like world beaters, but when we just need to hold the ball and actually pass to each other more than 7 or 8 times, we are devoid of ideas and movement.
When we started the season, I thought Barry was the best money spent - I even had his name put on the back of my shirt - but he has gone to sleep at the moment. I love the way De Jong tackles and works hard, but he slows us up going forward and I don't think that he and Barry work well together - from an atacking point of view.
Bridge is so one footed it is embarassing and needs to be replaced. I will give Lescott the benefit of the doubt for now - but not for much longer. Toure was a class act, but I fear may be nearing the end. Zabba and Richards are just not top premiership players. So what am I saying? Yes - we need a new back four!
I know we are in 7th place and a game away from 5th place, but unless there is a dramatic turn around in the way Hughes manages (or should I say coaches(?)) the team, I'm fear that his days are numbered.
Rant over!