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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated 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 keep the structure, they cannot play.

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

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

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

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

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

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

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

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.