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If Jude Bellingham wants to force his way once again into the English top team, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the teammates who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the player's disappointment as he realized that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Harry Kane to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was counterproductive. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the fold this month. Essentially his place has been in question and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as the side wrapped up a perfect qualifying campaign by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

As a result it's unclear on whether England operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has provided the team structure and clarity over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but often looked trying too hard. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, the focus was on Bellingham. The coach approached behind him and pushed the player towards the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on him at this stage. But if he is willing to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.