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With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment 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 Tuchel's selections imply that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of 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.