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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way once again into England’s strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was going up after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the teammates who substitute on," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you must accept them being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for a strop. The captain had only moments earlier made it England 2-0 up in a dead rubber qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the tournament by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but everything else was harmful to his cause. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, not included in the team last month, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to coming off the pitch as England completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on how England perform optimally when Bellingham plays. The performance was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained England organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a holding player, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the spot that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Kane to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to abandon him at this stage. But if he is willing to give him centre stage is still uncertain.