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Should Bellingham hopes to force his way once again into the English top starting eleven, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put the national team leading by two in a meaningless match, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to score the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, left out of the previous squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold this month. In effect his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

As a result it's unclear on how the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system in recent months, employing a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start internationally and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him the central position remains in doubt.