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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that comes also with 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 Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to support offensive play.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

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 World Cup, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.