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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way back into England’s best starting eleven, the smart move to cut out the dramatics. His reaction after noticing that the substitute board was going up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in an inconsequential qualifier, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake while heading to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad recently. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to being taken off as the side completed a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

It means the jury is out on if England perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has provided England a clear system over the past few matches, using a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder created a similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze after the break but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card came after he lost the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the spot that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that set pieces will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to give him the central position is not guaranteed.