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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"They can but not within this system, 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 play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham 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 first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played together, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

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

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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 central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we view 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 make him an option as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.