🔗 Share this article

After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, 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 - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot 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 vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.