🔗 Share this article

After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

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

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

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

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.