England's star trio can't operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right?
After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, England manager Thomas Tuchel can argue he has chosen wisely throughout qualification.
Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the same team.
"Currently, if we stick with the system, they won't fit together.
"They might but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we created and not within the framework that also includes wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We presently employ with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."
From automatic picks to contested places
England's creative talents have been deployed on the flanks for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
Former Three Lions boss certainly thought so.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at Euro 2024 in Germany, where the England team fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and been defeated three times, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.
Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives
Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that alters structure when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has discussed favoring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.
In midfield behind the attackers, 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 number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"For Man City, he operates similarly to a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we consider 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 categorize him 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 center forward.
Regardless of if Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.
