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For Bellingham to wants to earn his place into England’s top team, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. His response upon realizing that his number was about to come up after a match of inconsistency in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I prefer not to overstate it but I stand by my words 'conduct is crucial' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you must accept them being a professional."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a strop. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the Three Lions two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, with only six minutes remaining and he, who had not played particularly well, was just shown a yellow for a foul on Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a debatable decision. In fact it would have been foolish for Tuchel to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk the midfielder would be suspended of the opening game of the World Cup by getting a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's disappointment when he clocked that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline there was no doubt that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He praised Rashford for delivering the cross for the captain to nod home his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of the team last month, has faced close inspection upon his return to the team in the current camp. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours through his behavior to his substitution as England rounded off a ideal group stage by overcoming a tough opposition from their opponents.

The System and the Setup

This implies opinions are divided on how the squad perform optimally including Bellingham. The performance was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. He has provided England organization and direction over the past few matches, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel versus Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Wharton started for the first time internationally and the use of Stones as a makeshift midfielder created a faint echo to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many hurried and errant passes. An unnecessary confrontation against an opponent early on. England were ragged after halftime. An opportunity for Albania came after Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball to Broja and brought down the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Ultimately the bench quality was decisive. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who looked more comfortable to the spot in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that set pieces will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of the winger's delivery for Kane’s header was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the player in the direction of the away supporters. Their relationship remains intact. Tuchel hasn't decided to discard him at this stage. But if he is willing to grant him the central position is still uncertain.