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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They might but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

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 wide areas respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

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 key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we consider 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 make him an option as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.