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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way into England’s top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted after noticing that his number was being shown after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who come in," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. The captain had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for bringing down an opponent. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the fold recently. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as the national team wrapped up a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on if the team function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. He has given England a clear system over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a No 8, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. His caution occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and brought down Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the player to acknowledge the English fans. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to offer him the central position is still uncertain.