🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the identical lineup.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play.

"They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.

The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?

The previous England manager certainly thought so.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 matches the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.

Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives

Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to join the forward movement.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

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

Foden could operate as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.