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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They can but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas 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 the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

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

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.