🔗 Share this article

With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.

However, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.

"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.

"They can but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."

From guaranteed positions to competitive roles

Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the left and right flank 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 started all of England's seven matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 games the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, registering 36 scores and conceding 14.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack.

The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws.

Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.

Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.

So how could Tuchel use these three players?

Foden and Bellingham would be vying against attacking alternatives for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.

There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a number eight," he said.

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

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

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.

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