🔗 Share this article

With six wins in six games, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.

"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."

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 Tuchel's selections suggest that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

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

Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches 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 transforms formation when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

Potential configurations for England's stars

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front.

Foden could operate 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 coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.

"For Man City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.