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With six wins from six matches, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

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 play as the number nine, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.