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With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Presently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

What solutions exist for the trio?

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

Foden could operate as the central striker, which potentially could permit 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.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.