Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't play together - does the manager have a point?
With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and World Cup qualification secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.
However, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.
"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.
"They might but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we established and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
England's creative talents have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
The previous England manager certainly thought so.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 games the three have featured simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.
Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives
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 impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.
Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play.
Potential configurations for England's stars
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could operate as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel alluded to it this week.
"For Man 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 used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.
That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the number eight, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.
No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
