Having rested Goncalo Franco for the 1-1 draw with Millwall last weekend, the Portuguese midfielder returned to score and sparkle in the 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in midweek – a result that put the Swans on the cusp of the play-off placings.
Substitute forwards Adam Idah and Liam Cullen combined for the Swans winning goal in the second-half, with the Welshman netting his first goal of the season, leaving a reflective Sheehan keen to point to the importance of his whole squad.
“He [Franco] was outstanding. But sometimes you need a little reset,” said Sheehan in his pre-match press conference.
“He had a game out on the weekend and come back in, scored, and had a good game. He knows the competition and is incredibly complimentary about his teammates and how they are playing.
“That’s what we want, everybody supporting each other, because not everyone is going to start every week. It’s not just the starters; it’s the people coming off the bench and finish.
“We’re seeing how important that is in the Championship that you need massive impact off the bench and that can determine the scorelines.
“The last two games he’s [Liam Cullen] come on and made a massive impact.
“He shows up every day, trains well and is great for the culture. I’ve known him for a long time now and he’s doing really well.
“He gives us something different to some of the other personnel right now in those areas where attacking instinct is needed.
“When you have seven games in 21 days after the international break, it is impossible not to utalise the whole squad to keep the players fresh and up to speed.”
Next up for Swansea, who are eighth in the early-season Championship table, come a star-studded Leicester side buoyed with Premier League experience.
Lying in sixth position, the Foxes, under new manager Marti Cifuentes, are eager to bounce back to the top tier at the first attempt and will be looking to end a run of four straight draws.
Swansea themselves have become draw specialists at home with three level affairs on the trot, but Sheehan says that just identifies the small margins between the teams in the Championship this season.
“It is an incredibly difficult game on Saturday; we will have to respect them and need the fans behind us to give us that extra bit,” continued the Swans boss.
“They are a very good side; there is no doubt about that. They were in the Premier League last year and have a lot of experience.
“They are a team that you have to be organised against because they have a lot of quality all over the pitch.
“The nature of the Championship is that it is not easy to get wins. Over the weekend eight of the 12 games were drawn and the same on the Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It is hard to win games, so you can’t take them for granted. We’ve been in every game so far and that’s the way we want it to stay.”
The Swans will have a fully fit squad for the visit of the Foxes, but after the long trip to Lancashire Sheehan says he will have to assess his squad before deciding his starting eleven.
“Recovery is key after the long trip on Tuesday night.
“The other night we had a couple of tired bodies, but we have to pick a team that is ready to go, in form and ready for Leicester City.
“Potentially we will have to [make changes]. There are a lot of bumps and bruises and fatigue. In house we know where some players are at.
“We have brought in players, but experiencing a full Saturday to Tuesday week takes a different toll on your body.
“We have people like Zeidane [Inoussa], Malick [Yalcouye], Melker [Widell] and Marko [Stamenic] where it’s a different experience for them.
“Galli [Ethan Galbraith] has had a lot of football with the internationals and with playing so many games.
“We have a competitive squad and people chomping at the bit to play so we shall see after training.”
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
