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After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"It's possible but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, 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 transforms formation 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 striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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 potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

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

"For Man City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a central midfielder," 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 number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.