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Should Bellingham hopes to force his way into the English top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His response when he saw that he was being shown after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for the manager to not substitute him considering it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the competition by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to score his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad recently. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on how England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has given the squad a clear system lately, using a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the player change. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him a starring role is not guaranteed.