🔗 Share this article

After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

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 Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.