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If Jude Bellingham wants to fight his way into England’s top squad, it would be smart to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that he was going up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the players who come in," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by getting a another booking.

Shifting Focus on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated his teammate for delivering the cross for Kane to score his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on if the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from the manager early on. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the positioning of the defender as a makeshift midfielder created a faint echo to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after an opponent took the ball from Broja and fouled Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.