🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"Currently, 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 in this formation that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections imply that Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

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

Morgan Rogers 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 natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

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

There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.

Regardless of if Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.