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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion 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 are unable to feature.

"They can but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he operates similarly to 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.