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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way into the English strongest team, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that his number was being shown after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. Harry Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to not substitute him given that it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the player's frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to score his second of the night, but everything else was self-defeating. It's not like protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to being taken off as the side wrapped up a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on whether England perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided the team organization and direction in recent months, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. England were ragged during most of the second period. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching Bellingham. The coach approached from behind and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to offer him the central position remains in doubt.