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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place once again into England’s best starting eleven, the smart move to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. His response when he saw that the substitute board was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the teammates who come in," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down the Albanian striker. This was hardly a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a risk the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the sideline it was clear that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It is not as if arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the value of showing proper conduct.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, has faced close inspection upon his return to the squad in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case with his response to being taken off as England completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies the jury is out on how the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach at the start. He has given England organization and direction in recent months, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the positioning of Stones as a part-time midfielder meant there was similar look to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but often looked trying too hard. Several rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His booking came after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

Ultimately the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that corners and free-kicks will play a key role at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. The coach approached to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them remains intact. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to give him centre stage is not guaranteed.