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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, 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 a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty 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 creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the number nine, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next 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 categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.