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Should Bellingham hopes to force his way into England’s best squad, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that his number was about to come up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England 2-0 up in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for the manager to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible he would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team this month. In effect he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to being taken off as the side wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

As a result it's unclear on if England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has provided England structure and clarity lately, using a No 6, 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, the midfielder was in the starting lineup for England and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and brought down the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.