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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way back into England’s strongest squad, he would be wise to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who come in," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for an outburst. Kane had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a dead rubber qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible he would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the player's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to head in the team's second, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from last month’s squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the fold this month. Essentially he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on how the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. He has given the squad structure and clarity lately, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and guided the player towards the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.