🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

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

"It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

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

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to 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 utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

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 global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.