🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

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

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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 excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.