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Should Bellingham aims to force his way once again into England’s best squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had just put the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to head in his second goal, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold recently. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to being taken off as the side wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on how the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has provided the squad a clear system lately, building with a holding player, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time at this level and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed trying too hard. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking occurred when he lost the ball to Broja and fouled Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth was decisive. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over to his side and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to give him a starring role is still uncertain.