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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"They might but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we developed and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

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 the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, 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 permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.