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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

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

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"At Manchester City, 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 deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.