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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

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

"They might but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of 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 three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license 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 expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.