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With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They might but not with current tactics, 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 presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

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

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a number eight," 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 number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.