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Having secured six victories out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

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

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not within this system, not for the balance that we established and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

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

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup 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 forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to support offensive play.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

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

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

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

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.