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If Jude Bellingham aims to force his way once again into the English best starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the unnecessary reactions. His response upon realizing that his number was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it as a player."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. It was not a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that it was possible the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and even though he exchanged a handshake while heading to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to head in the team's second, but everything else was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad in the current camp. In effect he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a tough opposition from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

It means opinions are divided on how the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The performance was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager at the start. Under him, England have gained the team a clear system over the past few matches, building with a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder made his first start for England and the use of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared trying too hard. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after he was dispossessed from Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Finally the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner kick for the captain to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to discard him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position remains in doubt.