Kane, Bellingham and Foden can't operate simultaneously - does the manager have a point?
Having secured six victories out of six, zero goals allowed and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, national team coach Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.
Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the equivalent formation.
"Currently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.
"They can but not within this system, not for the balance that we established and not for the structure that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with defensive, central, attacking midfielders and striker."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
Foden and Bellingham have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Manchester United forward and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the left and right flank respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at last summer's tournament in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 matches the trio have played together, England have secured 10 victories, tied three matches and suffered three losses, 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 changes shape when England attack.
The young midfielder has been the main number 10 because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring natural flank operators. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars regularly feature on the wings 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 one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to join the forward movement.
Potential configurations for England's stars
Foden and Bellingham would be battling with other creative midfielders for the number 10 role, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could allow both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is a potential solution all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"At Manchester City, he functions as a box-to-box or creative role, so maybe during the next months we view him as a number eight," he said.
Foden has been utilized as a flexible midfielder this season.
That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the advanced playmaker, paired with a defensive anchor.
This would then allow Bellingham to play as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.
No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what bodes well is his preparedness to omit established stars in the interest of team harmony.