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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into England’s strongest squad, it would be smart to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that his number was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that the manager did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold recently. In effect he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on how the team function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity lately, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but often looked trying too hard. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, everyone was watching him. The coach approached behind him and pushed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to give him a starring role is still uncertain.