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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place back into the English top starting eleven, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. His response when he saw that he was being shown after an evening of uneven play in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. It was not a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for the manager to not substitute him given that there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad recently. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as the side rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on whether the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has given the team a clear system in recent months, employing a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton started for the first time at this level and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder created a faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed Bellingham towards the away supporters. Their relationship remains intact. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.