🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.

"Presently, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

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

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.

Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"For Man City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.