Jose Mourinho believes a long winning run is required for Chelsea to be overtaken in the Premier League as he does not expect his side to endure a poor run of form.
Chelsea travel to Sunderland on Saturday as champions-elect in many people's eyes -- unbeaten with 10 wins from 12 games and six points clear at the summit.
Mourinho has confidence his side, whose last league loss was to Sunderland in April, will not suffer an alarming form dip and believes it would take something special for the Blues to be dethroned.
"It would take some other clubs winning every match," he said. "With my team, I don't believe in bad periods. I believe in a defeat. I believe that there are many, many difficult matches ahead of us, so many points to lose. I believe in that.
"But I don't believe in bad moments. The team is a good team, a solid team. The players know what they want and how to reach it."
Mourinho is so happy with Chelsea this season that he has permitted a Christmas party. A miserly Mourinho cancelled last year's festive shindig, with former Blue Ashley Cole instead attending Arsenal's party.
The Portuguese has given the go-ahead for a family party despite a hectic schedule of nine matches in a month, beginning at the Stadium of Light.
"There are Christmas parties and 'Christmas parties,'" said Mourinho. "This one I think the families deserve and the boys are very happy to be with their families."
The established perception is that Mourinho's teams are defensive, but the current Chelsea side are apparently breaking the mould.
Mourinho insists he merely works with the players at his disposal.
"I'm not a philosopher," he said. "I'm not somebody who sells smoke. I try to be objective, I try to be a coach, which is what I am."
Mourinho does not expect perceptions of his teams to alter.
"At Real Madrid we scored 126 goals and we were a defensive team, so I don't think I have a chance to change the perception," he added. "Every ingredient has a space when you are cooking a team. You need a bit of flair, yes. But you cannot lose the work-rate, the objectivity.
"You have to be defensively solid and strategic in some matches. In some matches, the percentage of strategy has to be higher than the other ingredients.
"At this moment I have a group of players who have this natural quality, this natural talent and creativity.
"I adapt to it and I try to build a team where their qualities can flourish."
Mourinho hopes gifted players like Eden Hazard and Oscar can enjoy success, if not this term, then in future.
He said: "Sometimes you can enjoy your talent but you don't know what you need to win, but this team has had an evolution. Do they have enough to win a title this season? We all hope so.
"Winning or not, next year we want to be a better team than we are this year."
And with all that considered, he has no intention of delving into the winter transfer market in January, while playing down rumours that Chelsea were set for a move for Lionel Messi.
"I don't want people to leave. I don't want people to come in."