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For Bellingham to aims to force his way back into England’s strongest squad, he would be wise to do away with the dramatics. His response after noticing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put England 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible he would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the player's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the touchline it was obvious that the manager did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for Harry Kane to nod home his second goal, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to his substitution as England completed a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies opinions are divided on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. He has given England organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. England's play was messy after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking came after he lost the ball by Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and guided the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.