Plymouth Argyle might be shocked at what’s happening at Middlesbrough right now | OneFootball

The ex-Argyle star is yet to get his Middlesbrough spell off and running

It may be early days in the Championship season, but it is - to the surprise of many - Middlesbrough, who have set the early pace in the division with an unbeaten start.

After a dismal end to Michael Carrick's two-and-a-half year tenure at the Riverside Stadium, owner Steve Gibson opted to replace the former Manchester United midfield lynchpin with former Luton Town boss, Rob Edwards, just five months after his spell at Kenilworth Road ended in disastrous fashion.

Many were expecting a slow start to the campaign for the Teesside outfit under the 42-year-old, but that has far from been the case despite a major squad overhaul which has been conducted.

Whilst Boro are one of three sides who have preserved an unbeaten record following the recent international break with Saturday's 2-2 draw away to Preston North End - a result which took their early-season tally to 13 points from a possible 15 - it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for every member of Edwards' new-look squad.

Morgan Whittaker currently embodies such circumstances more than anyone else among the Middlesbrough ranks at this moment in time, and it is a predicament that will certainly shock supporters of his former club, Plymouth Argyle.

Morgan Whittaker's best career spell thus far came in a Plymouth Argyle shirt

Whittaker has always been described as one of the EFL's 'Ones to Watch' during his senior career thus far, especially after Swansea City landed the Derby County academy graduate's services for just £700,000 in February 2021.

Despite recording a respectable return of six goals in just 37 appearances for the South Wales outfit, no one can deny that the 24-year-old's best years so far came during an initial loan, and then a permanent spell following a club-record move to the Home Park outfit.

During the initial temporary switch in the 2022/23 campaign, Whittaker was instrumental as Steven Schumacher's outfit battled it out with Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town for automatic promotion, with the predominantly right-sided performer netting nine times and posting seven assists in just 25 League One outings before being recalled by Swansea.

However, the Swans would go on to have a major sense of transfer regret following Argyle's eventual promotion back to the second-tier, with Whittaker's return of 19 goals - which included a hat-trick against Norwich City - and eight assists key to their last-gasp survival escape, and more than good enough to land their star man a place in the Championship Team of the Season.

Amid links to Brentford, Fulham and Lazio, the Derby-born man's form would slightly tail off under Wayne Rooney before scoring the last of his 33 goals for the Greens with a late winner against the Bees, before Middlesbrough would land his signature for an initial £5m in January - a deal that was, unsurprisingly, viewed as a major coup in comparison to previous valuation claims.

Morgan Whittaker has yet to show Middlesbrough supporters his full creative spark

There was, as expected, plenty of hype in the North East when Whittaker moved to the club eight months ago. However, fast-forward to the present moment, and supporters are yet to fully be convinced by the winger's performances on a consistent basis.

He would post just one assist in his first 17 appearances for the club during the second-half of last season, before turning provider in the opening two league encounters of this season against Swansea City and Millwall.

However, Edwards is yet to see the winger showcase his full creative spark since then, despite starting in all five Championship outings so far this season.

Sections of the Boro fanbase were then heard sarcastically cheering when their newly-appointed boss replaced Whittaker with Manchester City loanee, Sverre Nypan, after 66 minutes of the entertaining draw at Deepdale on Saturday, with the Norwegian making an instant impact as his unpredictability and dynamism opened the door for Matt Targett's initial 72nd-minute equaliser.

Despite hitting out against those cheers, Edwards received plenty of backing for his post-match comments. Yet, regardless, it remains to be seen whether Whittaker does lose his place in the starting XI after a below-par individual performance.

In turn, such circumstances could only fuel greater motivation to silence the doubters, but either way, those of a Plymouth persuasion will certainly be surprised.