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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not for the balance that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

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

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have won 10, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

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

"With his club, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we view him as a box-to-box player," 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 position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.