Former Dundalk manager Vinny Perth attributes the club's "erratic" start to the season to their failure to nail down a settled squad in time.
Stephen O'Donnell's side have mustered only one point from their first two games, being held to a 1-1 draw at home to UCD on the opening night and then losing 2-1 to a buoyant Bohemians at Dalymount Park last Friday.
Dundalk made headlines last week amid reports that Hull City were on the brink of taking a controlling stake in the club, the ownership feeling obliged to issue a statement on Friday afternoon that no deal had been agreed.
The club had also been busy in the transfer market in the early weeks of the season, with a flurry of activity between the UCD and Bohs games, Rayhaan Tulloch (from West Brom), Johannes Yli-Kokko (from Helsinki) and Wasiri Williams (Swansea City) all signing very late in the day.
Perth saw Friday's game in Dalymount as a contrast of two clubs, one who drafted in experienced League of Ireland players early in the window and another which included players unfamiliar with the intensity of Premier Division fare.
"It (the Bohs-Dundalk game) was a tale of two clubs," Perth told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
"There's a lot of teams now who are signing players very late in pre-season. I've been very impressed with Bohs. I did predict them as being capable of pushing Pat's all the way for third position.
"They've great energy. Adam McDonnell from Sligo - I'm not sure why other clubs hadn't gone after him - he gives that team a huge lift, and obviously Dylan Connolly is really quick. Declan McDaid is someone I tried to sign myself at Dundalk.
"As much as people sneered at Bohs at the back end of last year, they seemed to have to got their business done early (in the off season). Albeit like all teams, they signed a couple of players late on in the window but they got good business done early.
"Structurally, that team looks to be really well set. Whereas Dundalk have signed three or four players in the last couple of weeks."
"It's been a little bit erratic from them. There seem to be problems above Stephen O'Donnell's level.
"Because Stephen is an outstanding coach and he just needs a settled group of players to work with. They're nowhere near that at the moment. They seem to be way off.
"John Mountney and Robbie Benson haven't necessarily worked out for them, going back and picking up injuries. Daniel Kelly is still injured.
"Some of their experienced players are way off it. So, they're finding their feet with some of the players they're signing on loan or picking up late in the window.
"The problem with that is - and yes, you can get lucky and some of those players can be really good - there are too many players there who are finding their feet that don't really know the league.
"And away in Dalymount in a really good atmosphere, a great League of Ireland night, you struggle with that intensity until you're used to it.
"They've really been disappointing and a lot of that has to go down to what's gone on at board level."
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