Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't play together - is Tuchel right?

After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded 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 lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

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

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

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.