Three Lions' top talents are unable to fit in the same lineup - is Tuchel right?
After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.
However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the same team.
"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.
"They might but not in the structure, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
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 imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his primary selections on the wide areas respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?
Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.
In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have won 10, tied three matches and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.
Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions
Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.
In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.
Potential configurations for England's stars
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could feature as the number nine, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.
There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"For Man City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so maybe during the next months we consider 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 categorize him 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 opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.
