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If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place into England’s strongest team, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that he was being shown after a match of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for fouling Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him given that there was a risk he would be suspended of the opening game of the tournament by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench there was no doubt that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate for providing the assist for Kane to score his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. It is not as if protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold recently. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England completed a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means it's unclear on if England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has given England a clear system in recent months, building with a No 6, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he lost the ball from Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role next summer.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached from behind and guided the player in the direction of the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to discard the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.