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With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not for the balance that we developed and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.

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

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to 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 position him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

No matter whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.