🔗 Share this article

With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

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

In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.