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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way once again into England’s top team, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that his number was going up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team leading by two in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for Tuchel to not substitute him given that there was a risk he would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the player's annoyance when he clocked that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold this month. Practically he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on whether the team perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has given the team organization and direction lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for his teammate in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared better suited to the spot in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, the focus was on him. The coach approached to his side and pushed Bellingham to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.