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Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

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 games the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system 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 consider him as a box-to-box player," 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 advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature 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 bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.