For the first time in quite some time, Stephen Kenny and Ireland actually have quite the selection headache ahead of Monday's huge clash with France at the Aviva Stadium.
There are several questions to be asked across the field. Will Gavin Bazunu regain his place in goal from Caoimhín Kelleher? Will Seamus Coleman come in for Matt Doherty? Can Kenny trust the youthful Will Smallbone against the might of France?
One area that many see as being tied up already is up front, with Evan Ferguson in lethal form, and linking up well with Michael Obafemi in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Latvia.
However, two of Ireland's most impressive performances came off the bench, with goalscorer Chiedozie Ogbene and debutant Mikey Johnston both putting in good shifts against Latvia.
It seems set in stone - but is there a case for either man up front against the French?
Who will start up front for Ireland v France?
Evan Ferguson
22 March 2023; Evan Ferguson of Republic of Ireland celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Latvia at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Look, let's not pretend this one is up for debate. It's remarkable that Evan Ferguson is still only 18 - and won't be 19 until October - given the clamour for him to start the opener of Ireland's EURO 2024 qualifiers.
Nonetheless, it's easy to understand why. Ferguson scored his first international goal on Wednesday, on the occasion of his first start for Ireland, and has knocked in seven goals for Brighton this season as he has broken into the big time.
He is young, and inexperienced, but he is undeniably the most exciting prospect Ireland have had in years, and is the only striker Ireland have playing (and scoring) regularly in the Premier League. It's hard to envision a world in which he is not the crux of Ireland's attack on Monday night.
Michael Obafemi
22 March 2023; Michael Obafemi of Republic of Ireland during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Latvia at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Michael Obafemi endured a difficult start to this season, falling out of favour at Swansea amid persistent transfer speculation. But, since signing for Burnley in January, he has impressed for the side who are runaway leaders of the Championship.
He also impressed yet again on Wednesday for Ireland, managing to get on the end of Matt Doherty's lofted cross and set up Evan Ferguson's first-half goal.
Obafemi can blow hot and cold sometimes in an Ireland kit but he has popped up with some spectacular goals, and his link-up play with Ferguson was hugely promising on Wednesday. Likely he will start alongside the Brighton man.
Chiedozie Ogbene
22 March 2023; Chiedozie Ogbene of Republic of Ireland celebrates after scoring his side's third goal despite the attention of Antonis Cernomordis of Latvia during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Latvia at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
One man who may be rueing the emergence of Evan Ferguson at the highest level may be Chiedozie Ogbene. The Rotherham forward had established himself as a favourite of Stephen Kenny's during late 2021 and the course of 2022, but now sees his place in jeopardy with the arrival of Ferguson and Michael Obafemi to the international scene.
And, though it seems more than likely that Ferguson and Obafemi will start up front against France, there is a strong case to be made for Ogbene. Despite speculation over his future making this season a tricky prospect, he has nonetheless registered eight goals and three assists in the Championship for Rotherham, and has proven on multiple occasions his ability to perform at a high level on the international stage in an Ireland jersey.
The downfall of Ogbene in this debate may be Kenny's persistence in playing a front two. Though Ogbene proved his goalscoring capabilities once again on Wednesday night, he has generally performed better when played in a wider role for Ireland, and the absence of any attacking wide roles may be what keeps him out of the side.
Troy Parrott
27 September 2022; Troy Parrott of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA Nations League B Group 1 match between Republic of Ireland and Armenia at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
We're getting to "outside shout" territory here, and it would be a huge surprise to see Troy Parrott named in the starting line-up for Monday's game.
Parrott has been involved in more goals for Ireland than any of the other options up front - but has done so in comfortably the most games of anyone in contention. He is in the weakest form of any of Ireland's out-and-out strikers, and this would be the definition of a gamble from Kenny.
Mikey Johnston
22 March 2023; Mikey Johnston of Republic of Ireland during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Latvia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Another man who would be a huge surprise to see in the starting XI would be Mikey Johnston - but the new man in the Irish squad certainly put his name in the mix with a stellar performance off the bench against Latvia.
On his Ireland debut, Johnston was hugely exciting off the bench, helping to set up Ogbene's winner, and nearly scoring a banger of his own in the closing stages.
Similarly to Ogbene, his downfall is likely to be the more central approach up front. If Kenny were to utilise a 4-3-3 or 5-2-3 as he has on occasion in the past, Johnston would be firmly in contention after his superb wide play on Wednesday night.
Will Keane
4 June 2022; Will Keane of Republic of Ireland after the UEFA Nations League B group 1 match between Armenia and Republic of Ireland at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan, Armenia. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
With Adam Idah set to miss the France game through injury, Will Keane is the only striking option remaining for Ireland, and it is a fairly unlikely one.
Keane's numbers at domestic level are surprisingly strong this season, and he has scored more goals than any of Ireland's forward options this season with 10 goals in the Championship for Wigan. Nonetheless, he has only four caps at senior level for Ireland, and is unlikely to be in contention to even come off the bench on Monday.
Balls.ie prediction: Evan Ferguson and Michael Obafemi to start up front
There is a very strong case to be made for Chiedozie Ogbene and, if Ireland were to play a 4-3-3, he would be a surefire starter. By that logic, Johnston would also be similarly in contention. But, with Kenny expected to stick with a 5-3-2 system, it looks likely that the two who started up top against Latvia will repeat the trick against France on Monday.
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