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If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place into the English strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. His response when he saw that his number was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. The captain had just put the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for bringing down Armando Broja. It was not a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has given the team a clear system in recent months, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but often looked overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to give him the central position is still uncertain.