🔗 Share this article Kane, Bellingham and Foden are unable to fit in the same lineup - does the manager have a point? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been crucial figures for England over the recent half-decade Having secured six victories in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct. Nevertheless, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he stated 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 stick with the system, they are unable to feature. "They can but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we established and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine." From automatic picks to contested places Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively. So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup? Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could. Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final. In the 16 matches the trio have played together, England have won 10, shared points three times and been defeated three times, netting 36 goals and conceding 14. Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that alters structure when England attack. The young midfielder has been the key creative force because of his excellent dribbling, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep. Tuchel has mentioned preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers regularly feature on the wings and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score. Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement. What solutions exist for the trio? Foden and Bellingham would be battling with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane expected to lead up front. Foden could play as the central striker, which in theory could enable both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane. There is a potential solution all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week. "With his club, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a number eight," he said. Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season. That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could position him as the number eight, paired with a defensive anchor. This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker. Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his readiness to exclude star names in the interest of team harmony.