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If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place back into the English best squad, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was about to come up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. Kane had just put England two goals ahead in a meaningless match, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Actually it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible he would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the sideline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to score his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad recently. Essentially he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as the side completed a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on if the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity lately, using a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the use of the defender as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. The coach approached behind him and guided the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.