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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

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 primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"With his club, he functions as 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.