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With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

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 Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we view him as a box-to-box player," 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, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 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 readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.