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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

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 indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.