England's star trio are unable to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?

With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.

"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not in this formation 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

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options

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

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, 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 support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard 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 categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

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

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.