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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the lead-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 identical lineup.

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

"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament 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 triumphed 10 times, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom 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 feature as the main forward, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we view him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.