🔗 Share this article

After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to 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 - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played together, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we regard him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.