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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we established 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 automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

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

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

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 main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we view 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 position him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.