Tiegan Ruddy can't put her finger on what has gone wrong for Peamount but is certain the annual title chasers haven't given up on reclaiming the WNL crown.
Ruddy, 22, is used to playing in a winning Peas side and, true to form, the Greenogue outfit were victorious in their first six games of the new season.
But since the 8-1 demolition of Cork City a month ago, the Greenogue outfit haven't won in five outings and are in fourth place behind surprise performers Athlone Town.
Shelbourne, who pipped Peamount for the title on a dramatic final day last season, are already 10 points clear of their big rivals with 11 games gone.
"It is unfamiliar," acknowledged Ruddy. "We're not used to dropping as many points as we have.
"I don't think there's one thing. We lost some players last year and it was tough to lose them but I don't think it's down to that and it's definitely not for the want of trying.
"I don't know if it's no luck or that it's not clicking at the minute, but apart from the three goals we scored against Wexford last week we haven't been putting the ball in the net.
"It's not just the strikers' fault, it's everybody. We just have to be headstrong now, focus on one game at a time and that means focusing on Bohs tomorrow.
"But morale is still very high in the team. It's not like we're all killing each other, there's a good vibe - it's just frustrating that we're dropping points."
Peamount also changed formation ahead of this campaign, with three in the back - including Ruddy - but she insists that hasn't been an issue and has enjoyed playing in that new role.
Could it be a delayed hangover from last season, when their final defeat to Galway saw Shels pip the Peas for league glory?
"We definitely tried to park it and I don't think it comes down to that," said Ruddy.
"Even last week against Wexford, I don't think we wouldn't have come back into that game if the Galway game hadn't gone the way it did.
"We believe in ourselves and we can't just die off at this point in terms of challenging for the league.
"Like, last season I remember chatting to a few of the Shels girls and they were saying, 'You've won it, you've won it'.
"I hope we can still do it. We still have to play them twice, so anything can happen."
The other element is that other teams have noticeably improved - such as Athlone, who beat Peamount away a fortnight ago.
"Definitely, 100% Athlone have improved, they tactically set up well and do it right."
Ruddy is content with her own start to the season and her ambition since she was a young child remains, to break into the senior Ireland set-up.
"Before I got injured I was involved in some homebased squads and I'll keep plugging away," said the final Maynooth year Business and Law student who also coaches young girls in Ballyoulster, near her Celbridge home.
"Definitely I'd love to play professionally, it's something I've wanted since I could walk.
"I'd love to go away and play and, once college is finished this year, that will be my focus, to play professionally."
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