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With six wins from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion 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 maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have won 10, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, 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 other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

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

"For Man City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.