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Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"They might but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we established and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

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

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty 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 central striker, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.