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Should Bellingham hopes to earn his place into the English strongest team, he would be wise to eliminate the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was going up following a night of inconsistency in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' 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."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in an inconsequential fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, was just shown a yellow for bringing down Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Actually it might have been reckless for the manager to leave Bellingham on because there was a chance he would rule himself out of the opening game of the tournament by receiving a second yellow card.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and although he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the touchline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. Tuchel has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, left out of the previous squad, has been under scrutiny after returning to the team in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as the side rounded off a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

Tactics and Formation

It means opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad a clear system over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and dedicated wide players, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start for England and the role of the defender as an auxiliary midfielder meant there was similar look to City's team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eze after the break but often looked too desperate to impress. Several poorly executed passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. England's play was messy after halftime. An opportunity for Albania resulted from Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on Foden, who looked more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Bukayo Saka. Eventually Saka delivered a set-piece for Kane to score the first goal. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The brilliance of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was partly forgotten due to the fuss of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and directed Bellingham to acknowledge the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon him at this stage. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him the central position is not guaranteed.