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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank 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 matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

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 excellent dribbling, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could operate as the number nine, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a central midfielder," 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 central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.