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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we established and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

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

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

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

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.