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For Bellingham to wants to force his way back into England’s best squad, it would be smart to eliminate the nonsense. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was being shown after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the squad members who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him because there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the competition by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

He, left out of the team last month, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on if the team perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was not definitive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has given England organization and direction over the past few matches, using a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze during the second half but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after an opponent took the ball to Broja and fouled the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.