🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

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

"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager apparently believed they could.

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

In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months 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, next to a more defensive number six.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.