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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ 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 his team selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, drawn three and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon 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 employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," 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 make him an option as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.