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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way back into the English top starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. His response after noticing that the substitute board was being shown after an evening of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who come in," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

Bellingham has to learn. There was no need for a strop. Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions 2-0 up in a meaningless qualifier, there were six minutes left and he, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for fouling the Albanian striker. It was not a questionable change. Indeed it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him given that it was possible he would rule himself out of the first match of the competition by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was clear that Tuchel was displeased.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, omitted from last month’s squad, has faced close inspection since coming back to the squad recently. In effect he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as the side wrapped up a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

This implies it's unclear on if the squad perform optimally with Bellingham in the team. The performance was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel in the beginning. He has given England organization and direction in recent months, using a holding player, a No 8, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel in this match. The young defender was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup at this level and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze after the break but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent early on. England were ragged for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His booking was shown after he lost the ball from Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner kick for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and pushed the player to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. But if Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.