🔗 Share this article England's star trio can't operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been key players for England over the past five years Having secured six victories from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct. However, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team. "At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play. "They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine." From certain starters to fighting for spots England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections suggest that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively. The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together? Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could. Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final. In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes. 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 primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep. Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish. In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to support offensive play. Potential configurations for England's stars Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front. Foden could operate as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane. There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week. "With his club, 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 used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season. That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, 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 decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.