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Having secured six victories from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

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

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

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

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

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.