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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

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 the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

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

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.