Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't play together - is Tuchel right?
After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.
However, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.
"Presently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.
"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions."
From automatic picks to contested places
England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?
The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.
In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.
Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives
Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.
Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.
So how could Tuchel use these three players?
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could operate as the central striker, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.
There is one way all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.
"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we view him as a central midfielder," 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, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the striker.
No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.
