🔗 Share this article

With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - 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 created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

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

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

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

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

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

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

Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to 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 allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.