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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into the English strongest team, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him considering there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the opening game of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, left out of the team last month, is being watched carefully upon his return to the team recently. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on if the team function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system lately, building with a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. England's play was messy during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the player change. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. The coach approached from behind and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to offer him the central position is not guaranteed.