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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into England’s top squad, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. His response after noticing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions two goals ahead in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance he would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad recently. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on if England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has provided the team organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the player change. At the end, the focus was on him. The coach approached to his side and directed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to give him the central position is not guaranteed.