Plymouth Argyle star Morgan Whittaker retains a major role in the Pilgrims’ attack, Neil Dewsnip insists amid his slower goalscoring form.
Plymouth Argyle saw forward Whittaker play a crucial role in keeping the club in the Championship last season.
He carried the goalscoring burden with a return of 19 goals and nine assists in his first season of regular action in the second-tier. Ryan Hardie chipped in with a valuable return of his own, but Whittaker got the limelight as the inspiration behind the survival bid.
As such, some have been a little surprised by his slower start to the new campaign. Nine games have yielded only two goals, the most recent of which helped the Pilgrims secure a last-gasp win over Blackburn Rovers.
Plymouth Argyle director of football Neil Dewsnip insists this isn’t a bad thing though.
The recent caretaker boss told Plymouth Live that while Whittaker remains a key part of the attack, the Pilgrims’ wider attacking threat means the burden isn’t his to carry as much. While it has ‘got harder’ for him to chip in as regularly, it seems to have helped him find new ways to find the back of the net too.
“He’s a major part of our attacking prowess. The threat hasn’t gone away,” the Plymouth Argyle director insisted.
“I think it has got harder for Morgan because people are aware of what he can do. I think when Finn [Azaz] left in January his supply ran out a little, not completely, but a little and he found it hard to get his goals.
“What I would say this year is we have, I believe, more attacking options. Morgan is part of our attacking prowess, he is not the only part of that, and I suspect Ryan Hardie would have something to say about that from last year anyway.
“So we are really pleased Morgan is still with us. He proved his worth again for us (against Blackburn), a kind of goal Morgan rarely scores – right between the posts, in and around that second six-yard box, and a fantastic guided header into the bottom corner.
As good as it is to have a real talisman on the books, there is a large element of risk that comes with relying on them so heavily.
Plymouth Argyle almost paid the price for that last season with Whittaker and Hardie scoring the vast majority of their goals, and when they needed dragging out of the mire, it was usually the former Derby County man’s responsibility to do so.
Dewsnip is correct in highlighting the wider attacking threat the Pilgrims possess. It was clearly a focus in the summer with several players capable of chipping in joining.
Ibrahim Cissoko has been a big hit while Michael Obafemi will be keen to find form. Andre Gray will take time to get up to speed but boasts goalscoring threat at this level while Rami Al-Hajj is capable of contributing from midfield too.
Looking forward
Whittaker and his Plymouth Argyle teammates will be hoping to maintain their momentum when they return to action against Cardiff City this weekend.
It presents a great chance for Argyle to get an away win under their belt with the Bluebirds still managerless and shrouded by uncertainty.
The Pilgrims’ performances have arguably warranted more than the 11 points gained from nine games and they’ll be hoping to put that right over the coming weeks.
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