England's star trio are unable to play together - does the manager have a point?

With six wins from six matches, an unbreached defense and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.

Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.

"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

From automatic picks to contested places

The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.

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

Gareth Southgate evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the trio have played together, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and one with more license to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.

There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.