RECENT cup performances will no doubt give Andoni Iraola plenty of food for thought when it comes to his team selection tonight.

Cherries face Championship opposition again, for the fourth time this campaign, when Swansea City come to town in the fourth round of the FA Cup (7.45pm).

All three previous ties against second-tier teams have followed a similar pattern for Cherries.

Against Swansea and Stoke City in the Carabao Cup, as well as against Queens Park Rangers in the last round of the FA Cup, Cherries struggled during the first half.

But half-time changes sparked the team into life, as Iraola introduced more of his regular starters to the team.

Iraola will be keen to avoid a repeat of the QPR game, where Cherries were 2-0 down at the break.

Goalkeeper and defence

It seems likely Mark Travers will retain FA Cup duties.

The Irishman did little wrong in that win at Loftus Road, although returned to the bench against Liverpool on Sunday.

Travers appears to have ousted Andrei Radu as the number two and has been conducting some media duties ahead of this contest, which tends to suggest he may be in line to feature!

While Iraola has a plethora of options in goal, there are still a number of defensive absentees.

Max Aarons has joined Adam Smith and Ryan Fredericks on the sidelines, while Lloyd Kelly and Milos Kerkez are not fully fit.

From Iraola’s comments to the Daily Echo on Wednesday, it appears the latter duo could potentially share the duties against Swansea.

Prior to the news Kerkez could be in contention, plumping for Marcus Tavernier in that role, as he did against QPR, seemed feasible.

But it could now be a good chance to give Kelly a start, knowing Kerkez is waiting in the wings.

Iraola said of Kelly on Wednesday: “It is a difficult one, because probably the best scenario is he goes slowly, slowly adding some minutes.

“Then he plays another 40 or 50 minutes.

“But right now we don’t have the perfect scenario and we have to evaluate. Also we are talking about Milos.

“It is how much you push and these are decisions we have to make.”

James Hill seems likely to start at right-back, where he featured for Blackburn Rovers during his loan spell this season. Iraola said he expected the 22-year-old to play a “big part” on Thursday night.

Marcos Senesi returns from suspension so will likely come into the team, where the choice will fall between Illia Zabarnyi and Chris Mepham to join him in the heart of defence. With a possible change in goal and full-back issues, keeping the Zabarnyi-Senesi partnership which has worked so well in recent months could be a wise move.

Midfield

Given how swiftly Iraola turned to Ryan Christie to help save the game against QPR, he seems a shoo-in to start this time around.

Who partners him will be interesting. Alex Scott and Philip Billing both came off the bench against Liverpool and this could be a good chance to get them back in the team and look to attack Swansea from the off, over Lewis Cook.

Wingers and strikers

With Dango Ouattara still away at AFCON and Antoine Semenyo only expected to be available for the bench at best, it looks like a selection of two from four options.

David Brooks has struggled to fit form in recent weeks, and is being linked with a move away from the club.

Justin Kluivert scored at QPR in the last round, so moving him out wide with Luis Sinisterra also given another start would provide a potent front-line, with Marcus Tavernier a strong option off the bench.

There is a straight choice between Dominic Solanke and Kieffer Moore to lead the line.

Iraola said on Wednesday he had not decided, but given his keenness to progress in the cup and how much Cherries have struggled when Solanke has not started in these type of games, if he is fully fit, Iraola may find his star man too hard to resist this time around.

Cherries predicted XI: Travers; Hill, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly; Scott, Christie; Kluivert, Billing, Sinisterra; Solanke.

Subs: Mepham, Kerkez, Cook, Kilkenny, Brooks, Tavernier, Semenyo, Moore, Radu (g/k).