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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of 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 together, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, 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 attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

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

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas 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.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.