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With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, 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 initiated discussion when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom 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 play as the central striker, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we view him as a central midfielder," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.