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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"It's possible but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts 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 deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times 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.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.