Calm Chelsea Heads Can Continue Jose Mourinho's 'Perfect' Premier League Season
A goalless draw against Sunderland at the weekend is hardly the hiccup it has been made out to be for Chelsea, despite Manchester City's victory a day later.
City have closed the gap to six points at the top of the Premier League with their 3-0 defeat of Southampton but talk of a wobble is far removed from what we're seeing at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's season has been impeccable. They're setting a ferocious pace regardless of the odd draw and know they are in control of this title race.
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It's far from a formality, but equally City are not part of it in the way many have preached in the aftermath of the weekend's results.
Even in early December six points is a big gap, especially when we consider the might of this Chelsea team.
Are Chelsea feeling the heat? Judging by Jose Mourinho's relaxed demeanor ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's visit to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, it's a firm "no."
It's all a fallacy.
"What do you want a team to do or to feel when a team is doing the perfect season?" Mourinho asked the gathered press at Cobham for his press conference ahead of Wednesday's London derby?
It was a considered response after he was asked what the mood was like with his players, whether or not they were disappointed with conceding ground in the title race.
Mourinho's reaction was as it should be.
"We're top of the Premier League, top of the group in the Champions League, quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup; not losing one match for four months.," he continued.
"The team has to feel very, very well. And, when the defeat arrives, I think we have to feel exactly in the same way. We are doing things very, very well and it's not a bad result when the bad result arrives.
"That's not going to change our self-belief, our self-esteem."
The message from Mourinho is a clear one: Nothing is stopping Chelsea's march to the title this season. They have led from the front all season and they're not ready to back down now.
He knows where this team is and what it can achieve, regardless of what his rivals can muster in the meantime.
It's not about points differences with Chelsea and City, anyhow. It's more about the knowledge of what one team can achieve over the over.
City can win, win and win some more, but while Chelsea continue to do the same and play to the levels they have, it will all be in vain.
There will come a time when Manuel Pellegrini's players believe the hype, a time when they'll struggle to chase valiantly and hear the message Mourinho is pushing.
The psychology of chasing a rival works twofold. One team will blink first, but Mourinho's outlook right now tells us it isn't going to be him or his players.
While Pellegrini is fielding makeshift defences and relying on Sergio Aguero to score his team's goals, Chelsea arrive as the complete package.
From goalkeeper to striker, they are tougher than the rest and with calm heads, they will continue their pursuit.
Look around the dressing room at Stamford Bridge where there are players who have won the World Cup, Premier League titles, Spanish league titles and the Champions League.
They know what it's about, as does their manager.
Last season Chelsea chased, now they're the pace setter and it's a tough call to predict how this "perfect" season is going to be anything but.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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