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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into the English top team, it would be smart to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that his number was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him considering there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench it was obvious that the manager was displeased.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the squad recently. In effect he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on if the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. He has provided the squad structure and clarity in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed more comfortable to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.