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After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.

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

In the 16 fixtures the three have featured together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license 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 number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could play as the number nine, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

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

"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard him as a number eight," 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, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.