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With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and lost three, netting 36 goals 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 Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

No matter 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 interest of team harmony.