🔗 Share this article Three Lions' top talents struggle to fit in the same lineup - 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, an unbreached defense and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification. Yet, 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 - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation. "Currently, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together. "They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker." From automatic picks to contested places The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively. But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup? Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could. Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final. In the 16 games the stars have performed alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14. Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack. Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 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. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions. Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play. What solutions exist for the trio? Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane expected to lead up front. Foden could play as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense. There is one way 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 consider him as a box-to-box player," he said. Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season. That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas 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 attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine. No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.