🔗 Share this article Three Lions' top talents struggle to play together - what's the verdict? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been crucial figures for England over the recent half-decade With six wins from six matches, zero goals allowed and a World Cup spot confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct. Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team. "At the moment, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together. "It's possible but not with current tactics, not preserving harmony that we created and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are like specialists 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 utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the left and right flank respectively. So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup? The previous England manager evidently thought it possible. Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final. In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and lost three, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals. Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack. The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the number nine withdraws. Tuchel has spoken about preferring natural flank operators. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, engage in one-on-one situations, and appear in scoring positions. Behind this front four, 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 vying against attacking alternatives for the number 10 role, with Kane probably featuring up front. Foden could operate as the central striker, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense. There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week. "For Man City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we view him as a box-to-box player," he said. Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season. That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six. This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the striker. Regardless of if Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.