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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game 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 maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

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

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot 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 vying against attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.