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Should Bellingham aims to force his way once again into the English top team, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. His reaction upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of inconsistency in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in an inconsequential match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for Tuchel to not substitute him given that it was possible the midfielder would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's disappointment when he clocked that he was going to make way for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake while heading to the touchline it was clear that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. In effect he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on if the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. He has given the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the role of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent in the early stages. England's play was messy after halftime. One Albania chance came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who seemed more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. Tuchel walked up behind him and directed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. But if he is willing to give him the central position is not guaranteed.