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Should Bellingham aims to force his way back into the English top squad, he would be wise to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that his number was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the players who come in," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had just put England 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It is not as if protesting was going to alter the decision. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on if the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. He has provided the squad a clear system in recent months, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card came after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, 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 Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on him. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.