Kane, Bellingham and Foden are unable to operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right?

With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They can but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment 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 his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, 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 central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.