🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories out of six, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said 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 stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"It's possible but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the main forward, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"With his club, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.