Three Lions' top talents are unable to fit in the same lineup - does the manager have a point?
With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.
Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.
"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.
"They might but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
Foden and Bellingham have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Manchester United forward and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the left and right flank respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team lost to Spain in the final.
In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.
Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions
Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that transforms formation when England attack.
Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the striker drops deep.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.
In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.
What solutions exist for the trio?
Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could operate as the number nine, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we view him as a central midfielder," he said.
Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder 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 decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.
