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Having secured six victories in six games, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said 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 cannot play.

"They can but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which theoretically 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.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.