England's star trio can't play together - is Tuchel right?
Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.
However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.
"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.
"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
From certain starters to fighting for spots
England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections suggest that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.
But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.
In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.
Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options
Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.
Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.
Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.
Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a holding midfielder 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 expected to lead up front.
Foden could feature as the number nine, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week.
"With his club, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we consider him as a number eight," he said.
Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.
That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the nine.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
