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If Jude Bellingham wants to earn his place once again into England’s top team, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not 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 must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Kane had just put England two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for a foul on the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him given that there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the player's frustration as he realized that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that the manager was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score his second goal, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad recently. Essentially he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case through his behavior to being taken off as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

It means opinions are divided on whether England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a box-to-box player, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the use of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was passing resemblance to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but at times seemed too desperate to impress. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed during most of the second period. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution came after he was dispossessed to Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the spot in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for the captain to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the player towards the away supporters. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon him at this stage. However, whether he is willing to give him a starring role is not guaranteed.