🔗 Share this article

With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

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

"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured together, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, 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 support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," 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 number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.