Three Lions' top talents are unable to operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right?

After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

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

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections suggest 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?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

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

In the 16 games the trio have played simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

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

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the number nine, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider 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 categorize him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.