🔗 Share this article Kane, Bellingham and Foden struggle to play together - is Tuchel right? Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been crucial figures for England over the recent half-decade With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement assured before the final rounds, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification. Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the identical lineup. "Presently, if we keep the structure, they won't fit together. "It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not for the structure that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We currently utilize with specific numbered positions." 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 imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his primary selections on the left and right flank 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 games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final. In the 16 matches the stars have performed simultaneously, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and lost three, registering 36 scores and conceding 14. Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that transforms formation when England attack. Morgan Rogers has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the number nine withdraws. Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. The wide attackers play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, 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 one with more license to support offensive play. So how could Tuchel use these three players? Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane expected to lead up front. Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain. There is a potential solution all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week. "For Man City, he operates similarly to a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard him as a box-to-box player," he said. Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder 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 permit Bellingham to feature as the creative force and Kane as the nine. No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.