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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into England’s top team, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make England two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and he, after a below-par performance, received a caution for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham 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 a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the sideline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to score his second goal, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the fold this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the side completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was open to interpretation. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. He has provided the squad structure and clarity lately, building with a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to City's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the player in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon the player just yet. But if he is willing to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.