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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

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

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.