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For Bellingham to hopes to earn his place once again into the English strongest squad, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. His response upon realizing that his number was about to come up after a match of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance he would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by receiving a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the sideline it was obvious that the manager did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to nod home the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It's not like protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team in the current camp. In effect he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as the side rounded off a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a spirited effort from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on if the team function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time at this level and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged during most of the second period. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, the focus was on him. The coach approached behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon him at this stage. But if the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.