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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way into England’s top team, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that his number was being shown following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had just put the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because it was possible Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the tournament by picking up a second caution.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that Tuchel was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to his substitution as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on how the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has given England structure and clarity lately, building with a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.