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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not for the structure 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 automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and lost three, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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 feature as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard 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 make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.