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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English top starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that his number was going up after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the squad members who substitute on," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the player's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the sideline it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to score the team's second, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, omitted from the team last month, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team recently. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as England completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on if England function at their best including Bellingham. The performance was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Wharton started for the first time for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally England’s depth made the difference. The coach brought on Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed Bellingham to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him a starring role is not guaranteed.