đź”— Share this article Three Lions' top talents are unable to play together - does the manager have a point? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been key players for England over the past five years Having secured six victories out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct. Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team. "Currently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature. "It's possible but not within this system, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine." From certain starters to fighting for spots The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively. The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously? The previous England manager evidently thought it possible. Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final. In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, scoring 36 times and conceding 14. Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack. Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep. Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and enter the area to finish. Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to support offensive play. Potential configurations for England's stars Foden and Bellingham would be battling with attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front. Foden could play as the number nine, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain. There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week. "With his club, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said. Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season. That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could position him as the number eight, alongside a holding midfielder. This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the center forward. Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.