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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way into England’s top squad, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted upon realizing that he was about to come up after a match of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Choices are taken and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. The captain had only moments earlier made it England two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for a foul on an opponent. This was hardly a debatable decision. Indeed it might have been reckless for the head coach to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the opening game of the competition by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention to Himself

Yet Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the player's frustration as he realized that his replacement was ready for another player. He threw his arms up and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was self-defeating. It is not as if complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

Bellingham, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the fold this month. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to being taken off as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by defeating a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

It means the jury is out on how the team perform optimally including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. Under him, England have gained England a clear system lately, using a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the positioning of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a faint echo to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. He made many rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. England's play was messy during most of the second period. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked more naturally fitted to the position occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Saka. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for the captain to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder to acknowledge the away supporters. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to offer him a starring role is still uncertain.