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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way back into England’s top squad, the smart move to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction upon realizing that his number was being shown after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the squad members who substitute on," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. The captain had just put England two goals ahead in a dead rubber qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible he would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s annoyance when he clocked that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the sideline it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home the team's second, but everything else was self-defeating. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the team in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

This implies opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel at the start. He has provided the squad structure and clarity in recent months, employing a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, all eyes were on him. The coach approached to his side and guided the player in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.