🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

However, in the preparation for Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they cannot play.

"They can but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have won 10, tied three matches and suffered three losses, 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 key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

Foden could feature as the main forward, which potentially could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a number eight or 10, 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 advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.