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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into the English strongest squad, the smart move to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His response upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who come in," 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 a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. The coach has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on whether England perform optimally when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start for England and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a similar look to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the player in the direction of the English fans. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to discard Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.