Three Lions' top talents can't operate simultaneously - what's the verdict?
Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.
Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.
"Presently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.
"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."
From automatic picks to contested places
Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.
But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
The previous England manager apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.
Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives
Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that transforms formation when England attack.
The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.
Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.
What solutions exist for the trio?
Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could feature as the main forward, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.
"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.
Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.
That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.
