After achieving six consecutive triumphs in six games, an unbreached defense and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has made the right selection choices.
Yet, in the lead-up to Thursday's domestic match against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the England's elite footballers - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - are unable to feature in the identical lineup.
"Currently, if we maintain the formation, they are unable to feature.
"They can but not within this system, not preserving harmony that we established and not for the structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine."
England's creative talents have been used in wide positions for England in the past, but his team selections indicate that Marcus Rashford and Arsenal's winger are his first choices on the wing positions respectively.
So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?
Former Three Lions boss evidently thought it possible.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven matches at the European Championship in Germany, where Southgate's side were defeated by Spain in the final.
In the 16 matches the trio have played simultaneously, England have triumphed 10 times, tied three matches and suffered three losses, scoring 36 times and conceding 14.
Tuchel has played a 4-2-3-1 system that changes shape when England attack.
The Aston Villa player has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, shooting ability and skill in entering the penalty area when the striker drops deep.
Tuchel has spoken about preferring dedicated wide players. The Arsenal and Newcastle stars consistently operate in wide areas and can hold the ball well, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.
Supporting the attacking quartet, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and another with greater freedom to contribute to the attack.
Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the creative hub, with Kane probably featuring up front.
Foden could feature as the main forward, which potentially could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is one way all three could coexist effectively and Tuchel suggested it this week.
"For Man City, he functions as a number eight or 10, so potentially in future we regard him as a central midfielder," he said.
Foden has been used in a more all-purpose midfield role this season.
That has allowed him to take responsibility deeper and could make him an option as the central midfielder, next to a more defensive number six.
This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the number 10 and Kane as the center forward.
No matter whether Tuchel chooses to configure the team like this at the international competition, what appears positive is his willingness to leave big players out in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
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