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Should Bellingham hopes to force his way back into England’s best team, he would be wise to eliminate the dramatics. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the players who come in," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you have to accept it being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England leading by two in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and the player, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been unwise for Tuchel to not substitute him given that it was possible he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the competition by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. There was no disguising the 22-year-old’s annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that the head coach was displeased.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He praised Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the importance of acting professionally.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the squad recently. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as the side completed a perfect qualifying campaign by defeating a tough opposition from Albania.

The Coach's Plan

As a result opinions are divided on how the team perform optimally when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has given the team structure and clarity in recent months, employing a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate in the latter period but often looked trying too hard. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking occurred when he was dispossessed from Broja and brought down Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. The coach brought on the Manchester City player, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for the captain to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The quality of the winger's delivery for the second goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, everyone was watching him. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the player towards the English fans. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to give him a starring role is not guaranteed.