🔗 Share this article

With six wins out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

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

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed together, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

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

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could feature as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

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

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.