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With six wins out of six, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

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 indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

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 primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

Potential configurations for England's stars

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

There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 categorize him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.