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Should Bellingham aims to force his way into the English best starting eleven, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the teammates who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team leading by two in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the competition by getting a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. Essentially he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

This implies the jury is out on how England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel in the beginning. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system lately, employing a No 6, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the positioning of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball from Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was a little lost due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and guided the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. But if he is willing to grant him the central position is still uncertain.