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Having secured six victories out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

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

"It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played simultaneously, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system 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 number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could play as the main forward, which potentially could allow 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.

"With his club, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the central midfielder, 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 opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.