Three Lions' top talents are unable to play together - does the manager have a point?
Having secured six victories out of six, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.
Nevertheless, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.
"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.
"They might but not within this system, not for the balance that we established and not within the framework that also includes 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
The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.
But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?
Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.
In the 16 matches the stars have performed alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.
Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions
Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws.
Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.
In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to contribute to the attack.
What solutions exist for the trio?
Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front.
Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.
There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.
"For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future 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 make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then allow Bellingham to play as the number 10 and Kane as the striker.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.
