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For Bellingham to aims to force his way back into England’s strongest starting eleven, the smart move to do away with the nonsense. His reaction when he saw that he was going up following a night of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the players who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for the manager to leave Bellingham on because it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in his second goal, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team recently. In effect his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours with his response to being taken off as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on whether the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. He has provided England a clear system over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of the defender as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham squandered possession. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka delivered a corner for the captain to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel walked up to his side and guided the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.