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If Jude Bellingham aims to earn his place once again into England’s strongest squad, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His response upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who enter the game," commented the coach. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and the player, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. Indeed it might have been reckless for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the tournament by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the player's frustration when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the manager did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to score his second goal, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It is not as if protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, not included in last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the squad in the current camp. Essentially his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as the national team rounded off a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. Under him, England have gained England structure and clarity lately, employing a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent 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 fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the role occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and guided the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage is not guaranteed.