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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions 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 keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They might but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options 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 last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

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

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.