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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match 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 same team.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They can but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we developed and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, 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 young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

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

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we view him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.