🔗 Share this article

With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From automatic picks to contested places

England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger 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 featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

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

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.

Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.

Foden could feature as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

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

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

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

Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.