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With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player 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 spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which potentially 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.

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, 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 position him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.