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Should Bellingham hopes to force his way into England’s top team, it would be smart to do away with the nonsense. His response after noticing that he was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the teammates who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Actually it would have been foolish for the manager to not substitute him considering there was a risk he would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he exchanged a handshake on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for providing the assist for the captain to head in his second goal, but his other actions was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the fold this month. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to his substitution as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on how the team operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. There was experimentation from Tuchel early on. He has given the team a clear system lately, employing a holding player, a No 8, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, the midfielder started for the first time at this level and the use of the defender as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking came after he was dispossessed from Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength was decisive. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that set pieces will play a key role at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel came over from behind and guided Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.