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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way back into England’s top starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the nonsense. His response after noticing that the substitute board was being shown after a match of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put England two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible Bellingham would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in the team's second, but everything else was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on if England perform optimally when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given the team organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who looked better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to offer him a starring role remains in doubt.