🔗 Share this article

With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.