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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into the English strongest squad, it would be smart to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His reaction upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible he would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by getting a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s frustration upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

He, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. Practically his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on if the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. He has given the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a No 8, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who looked more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on Bellingham yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to give him the central position remains in doubt.