England's star trio can't play together - is Tuchel right?

After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have won 10, drawn three and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.