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Should Bellingham wants to force his way once again into the English top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response upon realizing that his number was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because it was possible Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the tournament by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's disappointment as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline it was clear that the manager did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to nod home the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad recently. Practically he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as the side rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. He has provided England organization and direction in recent months, building with a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start internationally and the use of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up behind him and directed Bellingham in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to give him a starring role is still uncertain.