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With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize 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 imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

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

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

Foden could play as the number nine, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.