🔗 Share this article England's star trio struggle to operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been key players for England over the last five seasons With six wins out of six, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices. Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation. "At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together. "They might but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine." From guaranteed positions to competitive roles The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively. The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously? The previous England manager apparently believed they could. Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad lost to Spain in the final. In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have won 10, tied three matches and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14. Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack. The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats. Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score. In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot 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 battling with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front. Foden could feature as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain. There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week. "For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we regard him as a central midfielder," he said. Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season. That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six. This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker. No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.