🔗 Share this article

Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.

However, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.

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

"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

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 Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.

In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

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 box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we view him as a box-to-box player," he said.

Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could categorize him as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six.

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

No matter 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 interest of team harmony.