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With six wins from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

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

"They might but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

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

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

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

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future 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 position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature 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 appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.