Kane, Bellingham and Foden struggle to play together - what's the verdict?

With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - 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.

"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured simultaneously, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders 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 competing with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a box-to-box player," 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 make him an option as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.