Three Lions' top talents struggle to play together - is Tuchel right?

Having secured six victories out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's home game 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 equivalent formation.

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

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield 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 striker.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.