For the best teams dealing with adversity is second nature. Losing a game, especially a big one, inevitably leaves a few psychological scars. It happens to everyone, even at the top. The trick is developing and maintaining a mentality tough enough to ensure that self-doubt, kryptonite for any professional athlete, is kept at a safe enough distance to ensure that the mind does not conspire against the body. By working hard and keeping the faith, the chances of one setback turning into a crisis are diminished.
Momentum matters, of course. When Chelsea lost at Manchester United two weeks ago and allowed Tottenham Hotspur a scent of blood in the title race, what came next was as much a test of their mental strength as of their footballing ability. They had two options available, weakness or defiance, and chose the latter by winning their FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham last weekend. Three days later Chelsea beat Southampton and Antonio Conte praised his players for taking a “big psychological step” towards the title.
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