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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

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

"It's possible but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed simultaneously, England have won 10, drawn three and lost three, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, 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 contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could play as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.