Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?

With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - 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.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

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

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.