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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way into the English best team, he would be wise to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction when he saw that he was about to come up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put the national team leading by two in a dead rubber qualifier, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk he would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that he was going to make way for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold this month. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to his substitution as the national team wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but often looked too desperate to impress. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball from Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who seemed better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was a little lost due to the fuss of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and pushed Bellingham in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.