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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into the English strongest starting eleven, it would be smart to eliminate the nonsense. His response after noticing that his number was going up after a match of uneven play in Tirana was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Choices are taken and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a tantrum. Kane had recently scored to make the national team 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, with only six minutes remaining and he, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for fouling the Albanian striker. This was hardly a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been unwise for the manager to keep Bellingham on the pitch because there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the competition by receiving a second caution.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. It was impossible to miss the young midfielder's annoyance as he realized that his replacement was ready for Morgan Rogers. He flung his arms in the air and although he shook Tuchel’s hand while heading to the bench there was no doubt that the head coach did not appreciate it.

This is the challenge for Bellingham. He congratulated his teammate for sending in the ball for Kane to score his second goal, but the rest was counterproductive. It is not as if complaining was going to alter the decision. The coach has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the importance of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, is being watched carefully since coming back to the squad in the current camp. In effect his place has been in question and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team completed a ideal group stage by overcoming a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result the jury is out on if England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has provided England organization and direction lately, using a No 6, a No 8, a playmaker and out-and-out wingers, but it felt different versus Albania. Quansah was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start at this level and the positioning of Stones as a makeshift midfielder gave a passing resemblance to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

A Game of Two Halves

His performance was inconsistent. He made a chance for his teammate after the break but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash against an opponent early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. One Albania chance came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His booking was shown after he was dispossessed to Broja and committed a foul on the attacker.

Depth Makes the Difference

In the end England’s depth was decisive. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked better suited to the role that Bellingham had played in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka whipped in a corner kick for Kane to open the scoring. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was somewhat overlooked in the ridiculousness of the Rogers substitution. When the match concluded, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel came over to his side and pushed the player in the direction of the English fans. Their relationship is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to offer him centre stage is still uncertain.