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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a number eight," he said.

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

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

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.