🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

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

"They can but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, registering 36 scores 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.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could play as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future 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 make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.