Jon Brady has triple Northampton Town headache ahead of Barnsley clash: View | OneFootball

Cobblers boss has three dilemmas ahead of weekend clash.

Northampton Town bounced back from their 1-0 opening-day defeat at Bristol Rovers to beat Exeter City 2-1 at Sixfields.

Jon Brady made two changes from his side that lost on opening day, after ringing the changes in a Carabao Cup defeat to Wycombe in midweek.

Luke Mbete came in for Ali Koiki at left-back and Matt Dibley-Dias was handed a full debut in place of Will Hondermarck in the centre of the park.

However, Tariqe Fosu caught the eye the most, coming off the bench before the hour to completely change Northampton's fortunes.

Despite making only a few switches, Brady will have learned a lot about his slightly new-look squad and has some selection headaches ahead of a tough trip to Barnsley this weekend.

Fosu stakes claim for a starting place

Former Brentford winger, Fosu, was introduced by Brady in the 57th minute of the contest when Cobblers were behind and struggling to mark their authority on proceedings.

The 28-year-old's introduction changed the complexion and momentum of the contest and while he didn't come away with a goal or assist, Fosu single-handedly turned the game on its head.

Fosu was applauded off the pitch at full-time, possessing a beaming smile, as Cobblers fans lauded potentially their new star man.

However, if Fosu is to start this weekend, Brady will be forced to drop one of his front four; Cameron McGeehan, Sam Hoskins, Mitch Pinnock, or Callum Morton, if he wants to retain balance in his starting side.

Hoskins and Pinnock have been mainstays throughout Brady's tenure, starting 78 games between them last campaign. McGeehan scored the all-important winner on his home league debut and Morton, the natural striker of the four, scored Cobblers' equaliser.

It was Dibley-Dias who made way for Fosu on Saturday, as an attacking change with Cobblers trailing, but Brady is unlikely to make this change from the start.

The Ghanaian's impressive cameo has certainly left the Aussie with a tough decision about whether to drop one of his key men to accommodate his starting place.

Mbete impresses on league debut

Despite a slightly shaky debut in midweek, Brady kept his faith in the Manchester City loanee, preferring him to Koiki at left-back.

Brady's perseverance with Mbete certainly paid off as the youngster made crucial blocks and interventions to keep Exeter's tally to just one.

However, Mbete's inclusion over Koiki may have surprised Town fans after Koiki performed well as Cobblers held Rovers off for long spells at the Mem on opening day, despite eventually succumbing to defeat in additional time.

With two strong performances, Brady has a positive problem to solve at left-back ahead of the trip to Oakwell.

Dibley-Dias could drop back to the bench

Brady's second change to face Exeter was Dibley-Dias' inclusion ahead of Hondermarck. While Dibley-Dias showed flashes of his abilities, he was tentative at times, as expected on his full senior debut.

There is no doubting the 20-year-old's ability, but he could certainly benefit from some appearances from the bench as he is eased into the senior game, much like Marc Leonard was in 2022.

Leonard would go on to be a massive success for Cobblers over his two spells. Brady can afford to allow Dibley-Dias to settle while other options are fit and available.

The arrival of Samy Chouchane from Brighton adds another option for Brady to select from to pair with Ben Fox in the Cobblers' engine room.

The options of Hondermarck's experience against his former club, new man Chouchane, or persevering with Dibley-Dias from the start give Brady another positive headache ahead of the visit to Yorkshire.