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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists 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 utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

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 impressive ball progression, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could enable 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 functions as a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

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

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.