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Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

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

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

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.