Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists his team should receive “a lot of credit” despite their recent failures.
The Gunners have endured a miserable few weeks; losing to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final, bowing out of the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona, and crashing to defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup.
But Wenger’s men do remain in the race for the Premier League title and the Frenchman, who denies suggestions the team is mentally week, claims that should earn them praise.
He said: “Nobody in England believed we could even fight for the top four. The fact we are in the position we are in, I think, deserves a lot of credit.
"We still have it (mental strength). I don't question that.”
With the club on the brink of a sixth year without silverware, some supporters are beginning to lose patience with Wenger’s approach.
And the 61-year-old admits he does question himself at times.
Wenger continued: “I question myself always, but don't worry about that if that is your worry.
“If I listened to everybody, then it is a miracle that we are playing for the title with 10 games to go.
“It's been very difficult for the players, but they have never shown any sign of weakness mentally.
“Even on Saturday they have put absolutely every effort in and I can only be proud of how much they did fight.
“The only thing I can say is that I'm ready to give absolutely everything to win the title.
“Let's hope, and I'm confident we will, but we need now to work to recover. I believe we can do it.
“It's a good test now for us to show we can regroup, show mental strength, togetherness and respond quickly.
“We will have this kind of questioning for the next two, three weeks and we have to show we have an answer to that.
“We are used to being questioned - and we have to show we are strong enough to deal with that.”