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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.