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For Bellingham to hopes to earn his place once again into England’s strongest team, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that the substitute board was going up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had just put England two goals ahead in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him given that there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection upon his return to the squad recently. In effect he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach in the beginning. He has given the squad a clear system in recent months, building with a holding player, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he was dispossessed from Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who appeared better suited to the position that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their connection is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him the central position is not guaranteed.