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With six wins from six matches, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.