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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They can but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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 impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

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

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

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

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.