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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, 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 - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

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

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

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 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.