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Should Bellingham wants to earn his place back into England’s strongest squad, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had just put England leading by two in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him considering there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel was displeased.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was self-defeating. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad recently. In effect his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as the national team completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on if England function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton started for the first time for England and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the spot in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.