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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

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

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

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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 strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. 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 utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 categorize him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.