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For Bellingham to wants to force his way back into the English strongest squad, the smart move to do away with the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was being shown after an evening of uneven play in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the manager was displeased.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to score the team's second, but his other actions was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from the team last month, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as England completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on whether England function at their best including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach early on. Under him, England have gained England a clear system over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start for England and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed by Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and pushed the player towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him the central position remains in doubt.