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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

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

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation 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 guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

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

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

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider 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 make him an option as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.