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With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is a potential solution 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 potentially in future we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.