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If Jude Bellingham hopes to fight his way back into the English best starting eleven, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and he, after a below-par performance, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a risk he would be suspended of the initial fixture of the tournament by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that the manager was displeased.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the team recently. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as England wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on if the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze in the latter period but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he lost the ball to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him centre stage remains in doubt.