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If Jude Bellingham wants to fight his way into the English top squad, he would be wise to cut out the dramatics. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was going up following a night of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in a dead rubber match, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch given that it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for another player. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for delivering the cross for the captain to head in the team's second, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to being taken off as England wrapped up a ideal group stage by seeing off a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on how England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was open to interpretation. There was experimentation from the manager early on. He has provided the squad a clear system in recent months, using a No 6, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start for England and the use of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after he lost the ball to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who looked better suited to the position that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached behind him and directed the player towards the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to offer him a starring role is not guaranteed.