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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way into England’s best squad, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the squad members who enter the game," 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 only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for the manager to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible he would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home the team's second, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold recently. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as the national team rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity in recent months, building with a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eze after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached to his side and guided the player towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him the central position is not guaranteed.