Who fills in for Harry Kane, does Phil Foden deserve a place and six questions Thomas Tuchel still needs to answer after England's disappointing pre-World Cup camp

The question of what England would do without Kane has stalked the team throughout their qualifying campaign, as the captain netted eight times in their eight games. The hope was that they would be able to find the answer against Uruguay when Kane was rested, while Tuchel was given a second opportunity when Kane pulled out of the Japan clash with an injury suffered in training. Needless to say, they did not find a solution.

Dominic Solanke worked hard against Uruguay but with little reward, and couldn't make the most of his shooting chances. Phil Foden, meanwhile, toiled as a false nine against Japan in a role he remains ill-suited for.

It was baffling that Tuchel didn't start Solanke again on Tuesday, or keep Dominic Calvert-Lewin around following his cameo against Uruguay. And despite having two more pre-tournament friendlies against Costa Rica and New Zealand to come once England land in the United States in June, the England boss is no closer to knowing who his best alternative to Kane is in the event England's all-time top scorer picks up another injury.

Foden seems to have nine lives as an England international, and despite barely getting a look in as a starter for Manchester City of late, as well as his poor record in a Three Lions shirt, he started both March friendlies - the only player to do so. He was ineffective and uninspiring throughout, looking particularly lost in the false nine role against Japan in Kane's absence.

Tuchel playing Foden in a position he has barely played for City felt like an admission that he wants to crowbar this wonderfully talented but woefully out-of-form player into his team, and is not ready to simply leave him out of the squad, a decision which seems more and more obvious with each game he plays for his country.

England are not short of options in attacking midfield, and given Foden's measly return of four goals in 48 appearances and his litany of disappointing displays, it feels like they can do without him in the summer.

Despite Tuchel's less-than-complimentary remarks about Harry Maguire ahead of the Japan game, it was the veteran centre-back who came closest to equalising the Blue Samurai when he was introduced off the bench. It was yet another reminder of the potent threat Maguire poses from set pieces and underlined why he should go to the World Cup, even if he is not at the front of the queue to start matches.

His solid display against Uruguay, where he showcased his traditional defensive qualities above all, had already strengthened the argument to reserve a seat on the plane for him.

That Maguire was even available for the two matches should put him ahead of John Stones, who has not even played a Premier League game since December due to his persistent injuries problems, which indeed forced him to withdraw from this camp.

Dan Burn, who is the oldest of the three veteran centre-backs under consideration, played a grand total of seven minutes across the two games, and although he has proved to be highly durable, he lacks the international experience of Stones and Maguire and doesn't offer anything different.

It was not a good two matches for England's full-backs. Ben White was both hero and villain against Uruguay before then struggling against Japan's dangerman Keito Nakamura while also bungling his crosses when he got forward. Nico O'Reilly didn't do much attacking on the other flank, especially compared to his stunning previous display at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final, although Lewis Hall impressed after coming off the bench. Against Uruguay, Djed Spence fared better than Tino Livramento of the two starting full-backs.

The March friendlies failed to clear up who should be England's starting full-backs in their World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17. Tuchel's favourite right-back seems to be Reece James, whose long-running injury problems came back to haunt him two weeks ago when he suffered a hamstring injury.

If he regains fitness within a month then he will likely retain his place in the team, with it looking like a shootout between Hall and O'Reilly for left-back. But of all the contenders for these crucial two spots, none of them seized the moment.

Bellingham's absence from the October camp seemed to dent his status as England's star man, but strangely him sitting out both these matches as an injury precaution has helped his cause. Bellingham joined the camp so as to continue his rehabilitation from a recent hamstring problem, but Tuchel deemed it too risky to bring him on in either game.

It meant that the Real Madrid man played no part in these two disappointing games while Foden toiled in the No.10 role against Uruguay before Cole Palmer failed to create much danger against Japan. Morgan Rogers, meanwhile, blew hot and cold on the right wing.

England have an embarrassment of riches at No.10 on paper and yet none of them are playing well at the moment. And so despite Tuchel's mother finding Bellingham 'repulsive', he may be the manager's best option this summer.

Tuchel made the logical choice of interchanging his two best left wingers for these games, with Rashford starting against Uruguay and Gordon against Japan, in order to get the best idea of who should start out wide in attack.

Like so many of their team-mates across these two friendlies, neither player built any momentum, although if there was to be one winner it would be Rashford as he at least created some excitement with his runs forward against Uruguay and in his 19 minutes against Japan from the bench.

An argument against Rashford starting is that he is no longer a regular for Barcelona, though that has not seemed to affect his fitness or sharpness, while being a substitute for the Blaugrana given their wealth of attacking options is far from the biggest insult.