Three Lions' top talents struggle to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?
After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel might claim he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.
However, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.
"Presently, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.
"They might but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but the manager's choices indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.
In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have won 10, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and letting in 14 strikes.
Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options
Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions.
Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.
Potential configurations for England's stars
Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could operate as the central striker, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.
"At Manchester City, he functions as a central or attacking midfielder, so potentially in future we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said.
Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.
That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
