🔗 Share this article Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been key players for England over the last five seasons With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has chosen wisely throughout qualification. However, in the build-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 same team. "Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature. "They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we created and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize 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 suggest that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively. But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously? Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible. Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final. In the 16 games the stars have performed together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and letting in 14 strikes. Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack. The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats. Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish. Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to support offensive play. What solutions exist for the trio? Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front. Foden could play as the main forward, which in theory could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense. There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested it this week. "At Manchester City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we consider him as a box-to-box player," he said. Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season. That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, next to a more defensive number six. This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force 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.