Three Lions' top talents are unable to operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right?

Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure 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 number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, 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 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 number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.