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For Bellingham to aims to force his way into England’s top team, it would be smart to eliminate the nonsense. His response after noticing that he was being shown after a match of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the teammates who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England two goals ahead in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from the team last month, is being watched carefully upon his return to the team in the current camp. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies it's unclear on how the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system lately, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. The coach approached from behind and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.