England's star trio struggle to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?

With six wins out of six, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played together, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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 strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings 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 a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system 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 consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize 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.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.