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Should Bellingham hopes to force his way once again into the English top team, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted upon realizing that the substitute board was being shown following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the competition by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to score the team's second, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the team this month. In effect he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as England completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on if the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. He has given the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time internationally and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England's play was messy during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.