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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate 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 maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.