🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed 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 domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars 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 a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," 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 number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.