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Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for 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 - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we established and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.