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Should Bellingham wants to force his way back into England’s top team, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. His response after noticing that his number was going up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by receiving a second caution.

Shifting Focus to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as England completed a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on how the team function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the use of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after an opponent took the ball from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. Tuchel came over from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is still uncertain.