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Should Bellingham wants to earn his place into England’s best team, he would be wise to cut out the nonsense. His response after noticing that he was being shown following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I hold to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Decisions are made and you have to accept it when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no need for a strop. Kane had just put the national team 2-0 up in a dead rubber fixture, the game had six minutes to go and Bellingham, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for bringing down Armando Broja. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Actually it might have been reckless for the manager to not substitute him given that there was a chance the midfielder would be suspended of the first match of the tournament by picking up a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance when he clocked that he would be substituted for a teammate. He threw his arms up and although he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the sideline it was obvious that the manager was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He praised Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Harry Kane to head in the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like protesting was going to alter the decision. The German has repeatedly emphasized respecting team hierarchies and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

The midfielder, not included in last month’s squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the team recently. Essentially his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him through his behavior to coming off the pitch as the side wrapped up a flawless qualification run by seeing off a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

It means the jury is out on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was inconclusive. Tuchel tried new things by the coach early on. He has given the squad organization and direction in recent months, building with a No 6, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder was in the starting lineup at this level and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to Manchester City’s historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

His performance was inconsistent. He set up a shot for his teammate after the break but often looked trying too hard. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when an opponent took the ball by Broja and fouled the former Chelsea striker.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality was decisive. The coach brought on Foden, who appeared better suited to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka provided a corner for the captain to break the deadlock. It was a reminder that corners and free-kicks will be crucial at the World Cup.

Bridge Still Stands

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The brilliance of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. At the end, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided the player to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel is not willing to give up on him at this stage. But if he is willing to grant him a starring role remains in doubt.