🔗 Share this article

With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

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

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

"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.