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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized 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 the manager's choices imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which in theory could enable 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.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.