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Should Bellingham aims to force his way once again into the English strongest squad, it would be smart to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His reaction when he saw that he was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for an outburst. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and Bellingham, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it would have been foolish for Tuchel to not substitute him given that there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the tournament by getting a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home the team's second, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the team this month. In effect his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as England completed a ideal group stage by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on whether the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager early on. He has given the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start for England and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and directed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to abandon Bellingham yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him the central position is not guaranteed.