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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into England’s strongest team, the smart move to cut out the dramatics. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the players who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible Bellingham would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours with his response to being taken off as the national team wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on whether the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager early on. He has given England organization and direction lately, using a No 6, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. The coach brought on Foden, who looked better suited to the spot in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, everyone was watching Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.