Alan Sheehan has decisions to make all over the pitch for this week's clash with Nottingham Forest
Adam Idah could be in line for his full Swansea City debut(Image: Athena)
Swansea City turn their attention to the Carabao Cup in midweek and boss Alan Sheehan has a number of decisions to make in almost every position.
Premier League Nottingham Forest are set to roll into town on Wednesday, with new boss Ange Postecoglou looking to get his reign at the City Ground up and running after a chastening 3-0 defeat to title-chasing Arsenal at the weekend.
How seriously he decides to take this competition remains to be seen. On the one hand, he may feel the league and Europe are the more pressing priorities. On the other, he may have identified this as a trophy Forest could potentially win.
Sheehan's approach is also going to be fascinating to see. The Swans boss made a few changes to his side for the win over Plymouth Argyle in the last round, and may well do the same again this time around, although given the level of opposition, there's clearly a chance he could yet opt for a more or less full strength line-up. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here.
Should Sheehan decide to mix things up, there are a number of players who could come in.
Andy Fisher
The second-choice goalkeeper produced a brilliant showing in the previous round. He's still firmly behind Lawrence Vigouroux in the pecking order when it comes to the league, but he's not yet let down his side in this competition. Could well get the nod again here.
Sam Parker
The right-back area is one of several positions where Sheehan potentially faces a dilemma. On the one hand, Josh Key might well benefit from the rest. On the other, it could be seen as a gamble to throw the youngster in against such a high standard of opponent. Still, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him involved, although there's a possibility Ethan Galbraith could start there too.
Kaelan Casey
Like Fisher, this competition seems his most likely source of minutes at the moment. Did pretty well against Plymouth and you suspect one of Cameron Burgess or Ben Cabango will be rested. Could well start from the off.
Cameron Burgess
There's an argument for Cabango here and, if he was fit, Ricardo Santos might well be in the mix for contention too. But given his Premier League experience, it feels more likely the Australian will be called up.
Ishe Samuels-Smith
A similar situation to the right-back conundrum. The 19-year-old is highly rated, but largely inexperienced. Were this not against Premier League opposition, he would surely be in from the off, but Sheehan may decide it's too much of a risk. Not just in the context of the night, but also for the player's confidence going forward. That said, his presence on the bench against Hull City on Saturday suggests he's already on the cusp of first-team inclusion. There's also the point that Josh Tymon is surely in need of a break.
Marko Stamenic
This is assuming he's fit, of course. The midfielder would clearly love to take on his former club, and his skillset would undoubtedly give Swansea's midfield an extra edge. The New Zealander is likely to be first choice in the league campaign, but could perhaps still do with some more minutes under his belt.
Ethan Galbraith
It's difficult not to see how the Northern Irishman wouldn't be involved in some capacity. There's every chance he could be handed a more advanced role, but with Goncalo Franco looking a little bit rusty, and with Sheehan surely likely to implement the double pivot at the base of midfield, we could see him in a similar role to the one we saw on Saturday.
Manuel Benson
A lot will depend on where his match fitness is right now. The winger hasn't played an awful lot of football for the past couple of seasons. But if he can prove himself on the training ground, there's every chance we'll see him in a Swans shirt for the first time here. That said, Brazilian Ronald is a man in form, and he will be itching to test himself against a higher calibre of opposition. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone.
Liam Cullen
Melker Widell started the last round, but the prospect of seeing what Cullen could potentially do in the deeper role behind the 9 could prove tempting. The Wales international is seen as a hugely important figure in this squad, but his place in the side no longer feels as concrete as before given the level of competition in the squad now. This could be a good chance to shine.
Eom Jisung
Feels like a potential toss-up between the Korean and Zeidane Inoussa. It's possible Malick Yalcouye might be considered there, although it's understood Sheehan doesn't really view the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee as a winger. Another key decision awaits.
Adam Idah
Came off the bench for his debut, but it seems a decent bet he'll be handed a bigger role here. Like Ronald, Zan Vipotnik is a man in form, and may well feel he's done enough to earn a start against Premier League opposition.