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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized 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 deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of 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 games the stars have performed simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, 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 transforms formation when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, 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 support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically 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 suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view 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 advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.