🔗 Share this article

With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

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

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and lost three, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

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

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.