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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

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

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

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

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.