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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"They might but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

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

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we regard 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 categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.