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Should Bellingham aims to earn his place into the English best squad, he would be wise to cut out the unnecessary reactions. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had just put England two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, with only six minutes remaining and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on considering there was a risk Bellingham would rule himself out of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight Upon Himself

However, the player turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the bench it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge facing Bellingham. He praised Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to score the team's second, but the rest was self-defeating. It is not as if complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The German has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the squad this month. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours with his response to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

As a result the jury is out on how England operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. The performance was open to interpretation. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel early on. He has given the squad a clear system lately, employing a No 6, a No 8, a No 10 and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, the midfielder started for the first time for England and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze after the break but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder early on. England's play was messy during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after an opponent took the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Substitutes Decide

In the end England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who seemed more naturally fitted to the spot occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. It highlighted that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, all eyes were on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and pushed the player towards the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.