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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way back into the English strongest team, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put England two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk he would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to nod home his second goal, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the fold in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on whether the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time internationally and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka provided a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and guided Bellingham towards the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage remains in doubt.