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If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way into England’s best squad, it would be smart to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk he would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home 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 honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the side completed a ideal group stage by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on how the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation by the coach early on. He has given the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking came after an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. But if he is willing to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.