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After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.

"They might but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

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 first choices on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

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

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we regard 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 number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.