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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

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

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position 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 center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.