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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.