England's star trio struggle to operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?
After achieving six consecutive triumphs from six matches, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.
However, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he initiated discussion when he claimed that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.
"Presently, if we keep the structure, they cannot play.
"It's possible but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not in this formation that comes also with wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
The Manchester City and Real Madrid stars 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 first choices on the wing positions respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane coexist in the lineup?
Former Three Lions boss apparently believed they could.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven fixtures at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have won 10, shared points three times and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.
Tactical insight: Foden's flexibility provides alternatives
Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his impressive ball progression, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the striker drops deep.
Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can maintain possession effectively, challenge defenders, and enter the area to finish.
Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to join the forward movement.
What solutions exist for the trio?
Foden and Bellingham would be vying against other creative midfielders for the attacking midfield position, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could operate as the central striker, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.
There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"At Manchester City, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we view 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 make him an option as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.
This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the striker.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the global tournament, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.