🔗 Share this article

With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest 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 play together?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to support offensive play.

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 likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.