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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way back into England’s top squad, the smart move to do away with the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that his number was going up after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' 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. It was unnecessary for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to not substitute him considering there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in the previous 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 through his behavior to being taken off as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on whether the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has provided England structure and clarity lately, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of the defender as a part-time midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and guided the player towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to give him a starring role is still uncertain.