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With six wins in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion 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.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has discussed favoring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder 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 number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

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