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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way once again into England’s strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His response after noticing that he was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team leading by two in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, received a caution for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him given that there was a risk he would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Shifting Focus on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the touchline it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the squad in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to being taken off as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result the jury is out on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. He has provided the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. Their relationship remains intact. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him the central position is still uncertain.