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Should Bellingham wants to force his way into the English best team, it would be smart to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction after noticing that his number was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. There was no disguising the player's frustration 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 sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home the team's second, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as the side completed a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on how England operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. He has given the team structure and clarity in recent months, using a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Wharton made his first start for England and the use of the defender as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.