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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way into the English best squad, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him given that it was possible Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the tournament by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to score his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold in the current camp. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on how the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has provided England organization and direction lately, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.