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Should Bellingham hopes to fight his way once again into England’s top squad, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. The captain had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was self-defeating. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold this month. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to being taken off as England completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on whether the squad function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has provided England structure and clarity over the past few matches, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but often looked overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is not guaranteed.