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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that also includes 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

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.