After achieving six consecutive triumphs out of six, no goals conceded and tournament placement confirmed with matches remaining, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could suggest he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.
Yet, in the build-up to Thursday's home game against Serbia, he raised questions when he said that three of the country's best players - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the equivalent formation.
"At the moment, if we maintain the formation, they won't fit together.
"It's possible but not in the structure, not preserving harmony that we established and not in this formation that also includes wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."
Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections indicate that the Barcelona loanee and the Gunners' star are his primary selections on the wing positions respectively.
The question remains whether Bellingham, Foden and Kane play together?
Gareth Southgate certainly thought so.
Bellingham, Foden and Kane featured in every England's seven matches at last summer's tournament in Germany, where Southgate's side fell to the Spanish in the final.
In the 16 fixtures the three have featured alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, drawn three and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and conceding 14.
Tuchel has utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation that transforms formation when England attack.
The young midfielder has been the primary attacking midfielder because of his excellent dribbling, ball-striking and capacity to penetrate the area when the number nine withdraws.
Tuchel has mentioned preferring dedicated wide players. Saka and Gordon play out wide weekly and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and appear in scoring positions.
Behind this front four, Tuchel plays with a midfield two consisting of a disciplined defensive presence and one with more license to support offensive play.
Foden and Bellingham would be vying against Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.
Foden could play as the main forward, which theoretically could permit both Bellingham and Foden to play at Kane's expense.
There is an alternative approach all three could play in this system and Tuchel hinted at it this week.
"For Man City, he plays almost like a number eight or 10, so perhaps in coming months we view him as a central midfielder," he said.
Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.
That has enabled him to operate from deeper areas and could categorize him 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 striker.
No matter whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the global tournament, what seems encouraging is his preparedness to omit established stars in the pursuit of tactical equilibrium.
Astrophysicist and space technology consultant with 15 years of experience in lunar mission planning and research.
