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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we view him as a central midfielder," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position 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 chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.