Mark Hughes admits he is looking to add a physical edge to his side after watching Manchester City lose 1-0 at Stoke City.
Despite Stoke being reduced to ten men in the first half when Rory Delap saw red for a petulant trip and kick on Shaun Wright-Phillips, City were unable to break down their hosts at the Britannia Stadium.
City were poor in possession and lacked a threat up front, with the likes of Robinho and Craig Bellamy failing to impress.
For Hughes it was a sorry display to witness, 24 hours after high-level London talks over the club's transfer policy with chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, who was a spectator at the game.
City will now try to push through deals to bring goalkeeper Shay Given and striker Roque Santa Cruz to the club before the transfer deadline on Monday.
Hughes said: "There is a reluctance to knock balls into the box because we do not have that physical presence, and defenders are likely to clear balls from those areas.
"We just didn't create enough chances to break them down. We had a lot of attack-minded players on the pitch at the end, we looked for every option, but this time it did not work.
"It is hard to make space on a very tight pitch, one on which Stoke are running hard and closing everyone down."
He added: "I've not heard anything more on our transfer targets. Bids are on the table but they have gone no further.
"I was with the chairman yesterday to discuss a plan to go forward, the bids are on the table (for Given and Santa Cruz). We have not made a bid for Kolo Toure."
Hughes admitted his frustration over the manner in which his side lacked the ability to break down a side reduced to ten men: "It was difficult to break them down in that second half, they are resolute as we know and they get lots of people behind the ball.
"They had the benefit of the goal we conceded so late in that first half.
"And when a team finds itself in that position with a goal to defend and something to battle for, even though they are down to 10 men, it makes it even more difficult to break them down.
"The one time we did break through, Micah Richards was taken out in the box for what was a clear penalty. It was blatant, but not given."
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