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For Bellingham to hopes to fight his way back into England’s strongest squad, it would be smart to do away with the nonsense. The way he reacted when he saw that he was being shown following a night of mixed performance in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not make more out of it but I stick to my words 'conduct is crucial' and consideration for the squad members who substitute on," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it England leading by two in an inconsequential qualifier, the game had six minutes to go and the player, after a below-par performance, received a caution for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to not substitute him given that there was a chance Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's frustration upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he exchanged a handshake while heading to the bench it was clear that the manager was displeased.

This represents the hurdle for Bellingham. He applauded his teammate for providing the assist for Harry Kane to score his second of the night, but the rest was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. Tuchel has talked so much about following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Under Scrutiny

Bellingham, omitted from the previous squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the fold this month. Essentially he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to being taken off as England rounded off a flawless qualification run by overcoming a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on how England function at their best including Bellingham. The evidence here was not definitive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel at the start. He has provided England a clear system in recent months, building with a No 6, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and out-and-out wingers, but the approach changed in this match. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton started for the first time at this level and the role of John Stones as a part-time midfielder created a similar look to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for Eze in the latter period but at times seemed trying too hard. There were a lot of hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. England were ragged after halftime. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the position that Bellingham had played earlier in the match, and Saka. Later Saka provided a set-piece for the captain to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was a little lost amid the drama of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up from behind and pushed Bellingham towards the English fans. Their relationship is not damaged. The coach isn't ready to give up on Bellingham yet. But if he is willing to grant him centre stage is still uncertain.