Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't operate simultaneously - is Tuchel right?
After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, no goals conceded and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel might claim he has made the right selection choices.
Yet, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he stated that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.
"Presently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.
"They might but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
From automatic picks to contested places
Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that Marcus Rashford and the Gunners' star are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?
Gareth Southgate apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.
In the 16 games the three have featured together, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and lost three, scoring 36 times and letting in 14 strikes.
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 key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and skill in entering the penalty area when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. Saka and Gordon consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and enter the area to finish.
In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel utilizes two central midfielders consisting of a holding midfielder and a partner with attacking liberty to contribute to the attack.
So how could Tuchel use these three players?
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could feature as the central striker, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.
"With his club, he plays almost like a box-to-box or creative role, so potentially in future we regard him as a central midfielder," 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, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.
No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what bodes well is his willingness to leave big players out in the name of balance.