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With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

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

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

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

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.