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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place back into England’s top starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put England two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the player's disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold recently. Essentially his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a spirited effort from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on whether the squad function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was not definitive. There was experimentation by the coach in the beginning. He has given the team a clear system over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, the focus was on him. The coach approached from behind and directed Bellingham in the direction of the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to give him the central position is still uncertain.