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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way back into the English top squad, the smart move to cut out the nonsense. His response after noticing that his number was being shown after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the teammates who substitute on," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a strop. Kane had recently scored to make the Three Lions two goals ahead in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This was hardly a questionable change. Indeed it would have been unwise for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering there was a chance the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match 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 young midfielder's frustration as he realized that he would be substituted for another player. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was self-defeating. There was no chance complaining was going to alter the decision. The German has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from the previous squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to his substitution as the national team completed a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

This implies it's unclear on how the team function at their best including Bellingham. The evidence here was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from the manager early on. He has provided the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but it felt different in this match. Jarell Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup for England and the role of John Stones as an auxiliary midfielder gave a passing resemblance to City's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. An unnecessary confrontation with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after he lost the ball cheaply. His booking was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the squad's strength was decisive. Tuchel threw on Phil Foden, who appeared more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated during the first half, and the Arsenal winger. Eventually Saka whipped in a corner for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided the Real Madrid midfielder towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to grant him centre stage remains in doubt.