England's star trio can't fit in the same lineup - what's the verdict?

With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured alongside each other, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

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

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

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

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we consider 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 advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.