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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place back into the English strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. His response after noticing that he was being shown after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who come in," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you must accept them as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for the manager to leave Bellingham on because it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the manager was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to score his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad this month. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on whether England perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. There was experimentation from the manager in the beginning. He has given the team a clear system in recent months, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England's play was messy after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for the captain to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. However, whether he is willing to grant him the central position remains in doubt.