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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we developed and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have won 10, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that transforms formation 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. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which potentially 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.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

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.