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For Bellingham to hopes to force his way once again into the English top team, the smart move to eliminate the nonsense. His reaction after noticing that his number was going up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not overstate it but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the players who enter the game," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. The captain had just put the national team two goals ahead in a dead rubber match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down Armando Broja. This was hardly a debatable decision. Actually it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him considering there was a chance the midfielder would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the tournament by picking up a second yellow card.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that his replacement was ready for another player. He flung his arms in the air and although he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the bench there was no doubt that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to head in the team's second, but everything else was self-defeating. It is not as if arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the fold recently. In effect he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to his substitution as England completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a feisty challenge from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

This implies the jury is out on if England operate most effectively including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager early on. He has given the team organization and direction over the past few matches, building with a No 6, a central midfielder, a playmaker and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, Wharton made his first start internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to City's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for his teammate after the break but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of 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 squandered possession. His booking occurred when an opponent took the ball from Broja and fouled Broja.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role in which Bellingham operated in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. It highlighted that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, all eyes were on the midfielder. The coach approached from behind and directed Bellingham in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to discard Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.