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If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place back into the English top team, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. His reaction when he saw that his number was about to come up following a night of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who come in," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. The captain had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him given that there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to score his second goal, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

Facing Examination

He, not included in the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the team in the current camp. In effect he has been on trial and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as England rounded off a ideal group stage by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on whether the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager early on. He has provided the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a defensive midfielder, a No 8, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. Jarell Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. Several poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role next summer.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and pushed Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. The bond between them is not broken. The coach isn't ready to discard Bellingham yet. But if the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.