Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right?
Having secured six victories in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.
Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.
"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.
"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ 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 Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?
The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every 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 simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.
Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions
Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.
The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.
In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and another with greater freedom 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 in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.
"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.
Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.
That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.
No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
