Kane, Bellingham and Foden struggle to play together - is Tuchel right?

After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders 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 vying against attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.