Kane, Bellingham and Foden struggle to fit in the same lineup - does the manager have a point?
With six wins from six matches, no goals conceded and World Cup qualification 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 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 - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.
"At the moment, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.
"They might but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we developed and not in this formation that incorporates wingers who are highly specialized in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."
From guaranteed positions to competitive roles
England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.
But can Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane started all of England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where the England team were defeated by Spain in the final.
In the 16 fixtures the stars have performed together, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and lost three, scoring 36 times and allowing 14 goals.
Analysis: Foden's versatility gives Tuchel options
Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that changes shape when England attack.
The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.
Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. The wide attackers consistently operate in wide areas and can retain the ball skillfully, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.
Supporting the attacking quartet, 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 vying against attacking alternatives for the creative hub, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could feature as the number nine, which theoretically could enable both Bellingham and Foden to operate without the captain.
There is an alternative approach all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel alluded to it this week.
"At Manchester 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 used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.
That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could position him as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the creative force and Kane as the striker.
Irrespective of whether Tuchel decides to set England up like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.