Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't play together - is Tuchel right?
Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.
However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup.
"At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together.
"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with specific numbered positions."
From automatic picks to contested places
The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices suggest that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?
Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 fixtures the trio have played together, England have triumphed 10 times, drawn three and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals 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 young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and arrive in the box to score.
Behind this front four, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of one defensively strict player and one with more license to contribute to the attack.
What solutions exist for the trio?
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could feature as the main forward, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel suggested it this week.
"At Manchester City, he operates similarly to a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said.
Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.
That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then allow Bellingham to play as the creative force and Kane as the nine.
No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the interest of team harmony.
