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Should Bellingham aims to force his way into England’s top squad, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. Kane had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the tournament by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold this month. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given England organization and direction lately, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who appeared more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching him. The coach approached to his side and directed Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.