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For Bellingham to wants to fight his way back into England’s strongest team, he would be wise to do away with the unnecessary reactions. The way he reacted upon realizing that his number was being shown after a match of mixed performance in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I prefer not to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect towards the teammates who come in," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it being a professional."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England two goals ahead in a meaningless fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, had just been booked for a foul on Armando Broja. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch considering it was possible he would rule himself out of the opening game of the World Cup by receiving a second caution.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's annoyance as he realized that he was going to make way for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he exchanged a handshake after making his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded his teammate for sending in the ball for Kane to head in the team's second, but everything else was self-defeating. There was no chance protesting was going to alter the decision. The coach has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the importance of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the team last month, has been under scrutiny since coming back to the fold this month. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to his substitution as the national team wrapped up a flawless qualification run by defeating a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on how the squad operate most effectively including Bellingham. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things from Tuchel early on. He has given England structure and clarity in recent months, using a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different against Albania. Jarell Quansah was made his England debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup internationally and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He set up a shot for his teammate during the second half but at times seemed trying too hard. He made many hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card was shown after an opponent took the ball to Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end the squad's strength proved crucial. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who seemed better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka delivered a corner kick for Kane to score the first goal. It highlighted that dead-ball situations are going to be vital next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane’s header was partly forgotten in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over to his side and directed Bellingham in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him centre stage remains in doubt.