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For Bellingham to wants to force his way once again into the English best squad, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted after noticing that he was about to come up following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the players who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had just put the national team 2-0 up in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s disappointment as he realized that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he shook Tuchel’s hand after making his way to the bench it was clear that the head coach was displeased.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home his second goal, but the rest was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

He, not included in the team last month, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad this month. Practically he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case with his response to his substitution as the side rounded off a ideal group stage by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

Tactics and Formation

As a result opinions are divided on how the team function at their best including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. He has given England a clear system over the past few matches, building with a No 6, a No 8, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time for England and the positioning of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for Eze during the second half but often looked overly eager to shine. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania came after he lost the ball cheaply. His caution was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on Foden, who seemed better suited to the role occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane’s header was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and guided the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the English fans. Their connection remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him the central position is still uncertain.