🔗 Share this article

With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

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

"They might but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played simultaneously, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

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

Foden could feature as the main forward, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.