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If Jude Bellingham hopes to earn his place once again into England’s top squad, it would be smart to cut out the dramatics. His response upon realizing that he was about to come up after an evening of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and consideration for the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for fouling an opponent. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to not substitute him considering it was possible the midfielder would rule himself out of the first match of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Drawing Attention Upon Himself

However, the player made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration when he clocked that he would be substituted for Morgan Rogers. He threw his arms up and while he exchanged a handshake on his way to the sideline there was no doubt that Tuchel was displeased.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to score his second goal, but everything else was harmful to his cause. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection since coming back to the fold this month. In effect he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

Tactics and Formation

This implies it's unclear on how the team perform optimally including Bellingham. What we saw was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. He has provided England structure and clarity in recent months, using a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a playmaker and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was made his England debut, the midfielder made his first start internationally and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for Eberechi Eze in the latter period but at times seemed trying too hard. There were a lot of poorly executed passes. A pointless clash with a rival player early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham squandered possession. His caution was shown after he lost the ball by Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a set-piece for Harry Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role in the upcoming tournament.

Bridge Still Stands

Still, though, Bellingham was the story. The quality of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up to his side and directed the player to acknowledge the away supporters. Their connection remains intact. The coach isn't ready to discard the player just yet. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.