🔗 Share this article Kane, Bellingham and Foden struggle to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been crucial figures for England over the last five seasons With six wins from six matches, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices. However, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation. "At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they cannot play. "It's possible but not with current tactics, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine." From automatic picks to contested places England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas respectively. The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together? Gareth Southgate certainly thought so. Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final. In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have won 10, drawn three and lost three, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals. 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 primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws. Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can hold the ball well, engage in one-on-one situations, 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 contribute to the attack. Potential configurations for England's stars Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front. Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain. There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week. "With his club, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we view him as a number eight," he said. Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season. That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six. This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine. No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.