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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way into the English best squad, he would be wise to eliminate the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that he was going up after a match of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put England leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk Bellingham would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach was displeased.

Here lies the test facing Bellingham. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the fold recently. In effect he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as the side completed a ideal group stage by defeating a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

This implies it's unclear on whether the team perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager in the beginning. He has given the squad organization and direction lately, using a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the positioning of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who appeared better suited to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to open the scoring. 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 quality of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel came over behind him and pushed Bellingham towards the away supporters. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on him at this stage. But if Tuchel is inclined to give him the central position is not guaranteed.