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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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 strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach 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 consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

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

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

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.