Filippo Inzaghi says AC Milan will recover quickly from the setback of having lost 2-0 to Palermo, although he admits even he had got a little carried away with his side's start to the season.
Enthusiasm had returned to the Rossoneri this term after a start which had seen them leading the chase behind Juventus and Roma at the top of the Serie A table.
However, draws with Fiorentina and Cagliari, followed by Sunday evening's loss at home to Palermo, have dampened that excitement at the San Siro.
Inzaghi, though, remains optimistic and is sure his side, who have dropped to sixth, can bounce back and target a third-place finish this season.
"This is football," Inzaghi told his postmatch news conference. "Until yesterday, people were talking about Milan as the revelation of the season and one defeat cannot change that judgement, considering there are other sides who were ahead of us last season who are suffering.
"I'm just sorry we lost in front of our own fans, but hopefully we will be able to bounce straight back on Saturday against Sampdoria. I'm sorry that we've taken a step backwards and I hope the players don't lose their belief because it can happen that you lose a game. We had got carried away, but third place is still within reach."
Inzaghi accepted all of the blame for the defeat, defending his players from criticism that came their way.
"It's easy to blame them when you lose, but I don't want to do that," he said. "A good coach is one who realises what he could have done better, and when you lose, it's the responsibility of the coach.
"The players gave it everything, it just wasn't enough. We've slipped down the standings, but football teaches us that it takes a second to lift yourself up again. It's not dramatic. Let's pay tribute to Palermo."
Milan have a tricky run of six games against sides from the top 10 between now and the turn of the year.
After travelling to Sampdoria, Inzaghi's team host Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina before welcoming Udinese to the San Siro. They then head to Genoa before hosting Napoli and ending the calendar year with a trip to Roma.
"We've got to work even harder and try to refill the tanks with petrol, bouncing back on Saturday," Inzaghi added. "This is a nice test of our character and it will do us all good."