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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place into the English strongest team, it would be smart to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction when he saw that the substitute board was being shown following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, after a below-par performance, was just shown a yellow for fouling Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance he would rule himself out of the opening game of the competition by getting a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and even though he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the team in the current camp. Essentially he has been on trial and he has not done himself any favours with his response to his substitution as England wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on how the team perform optimally when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. He has given the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder created a faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the squad's strength proved crucial. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the substitution incident. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel walked up from behind and guided Bellingham towards the English fans. Their connection is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to discard him at this stage. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.