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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that his number was going up after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a meaningless match, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk Bellingham would rule himself out of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was obvious that the head coach was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on how the team operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. Under him, England have gained England a clear system over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for his teammate in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. At the end, the focus was on him. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the player in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to grant him a starring role is still uncertain.