England's star trio are unable to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?
Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.
Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.
"Currently, if we keep the structure, they are unable to feature.
"They might but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We presently employ with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his preferred options on the wide areas respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?
Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad were defeated by Spain in the final.
In the 16 matches the stars have performed together, England have triumphed 10 times, shared points three times and been defeated three times, registering 36 scores and allowing 14 goals.
Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions
Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.
The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his impressive ball progression, ball-striking and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.
Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars play out wide weekly and can retain the ball skillfully, challenge defenders, and appear in scoring positions.
Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.
Potential configurations for England's stars
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 operate as the number nine, which in theory could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.
"For Man City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so maybe during the next months 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 categorize him as the central midfielder, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then permit Bellingham to feature as the number 10 and Kane as the nine.
No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
