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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way once again into England’s strongest team, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His response when he saw that the substitute board was being shown after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana 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," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a tantrum. The captain had just put England leading by two in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and he, after a below-par performance, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the tournament by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad recently. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a tough opposition from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

As a result the jury is out on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has given England organization and direction lately, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time internationally and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution occurred when he lost the ball to Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and directed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.