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For Bellingham to aims to fight his way back into England’s top squad, he would be wise to do away with the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted after noticing that he was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance he would be suspended of the first match of the tournament by getting a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad recently. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

This implies opinions are divided on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. He has provided England structure and clarity lately, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a set-piece for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and guided the player in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him the central position is still uncertain.