🔗 Share this article Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been key players for England over the recent half-decade After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct. Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation. "Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature. "It's possible but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions." From automatic picks to contested places The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Manchester United forward 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? The previous England manager apparently believed they could. Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every 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 games the stars have performed simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes. Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack. Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep. Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score. In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack. Potential configurations for England's stars Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front. Foden could play as the central striker, which in theory could permit 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 plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we consider him as a central midfielder," he said. Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season. That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor. This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward. Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.