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If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way once again into England’s best starting eleven, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that he was being shown following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him considering there was a chance Bellingham would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to head in his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad this month. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as the side rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on whether England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity lately, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but often looked trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card came after an opponent took the ball from Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed better suited to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. The coach approached to his side and directed the player in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.