Kane, Bellingham and Foden struggle to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?
With six wins in six games, zero goals allowed and tournament placement secured with two group games to spare, national team coach Thomas Tuchel can argue he has made the right selection choices.
However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he sparked a debate when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - cannot play in the equivalent formation.
"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.
"They can but not with current tactics, not for the balance that we developed and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."
From automatic picks to contested places
Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but the manager's choices imply that the Manchester United forward and Arsenal's winger are his preferred options on the wing positions respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven games at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's side lost to Spain in the final.
In the 16 games the trio have played alongside each other, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.
Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives
Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that alters structure when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, strike quality and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.
Tuchel has spoken about preferring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, engage in one-on-one situations, and arrive in the box to score.
Behind this front four, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license 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 attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could play as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.
There is one way all three could play in this system and Tuchel suggested 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 deployed in a versatile central position this season.
That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the center forward.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the international competition, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the name of balance.
