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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

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 key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," 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 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 nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.