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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into the English strongest starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that he was going up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on given that there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the initial fixture of the tournament by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the player's disappointment upon understanding that he would be substituted for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the fold recently. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as England completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

It means the jury is out on if the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. He has provided England a clear system lately, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.