Kane, Bellingham and Foden are unable to fit in the same lineup - does the manager have a point?

With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, 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 like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals 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.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"With his club, he operates similarly to 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 make him an option as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.