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For Bellingham to aims to earn his place back into England’s best starting eleven, it would be smart to cut out the nonsense. His response upon realizing that he was going up after an evening of inconsistency in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to blow it out of proportion but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and respect towards the squad members who come in," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. It was unnecessary for an outburst. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in an inconsequential match, there were six minutes left and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. Actually it would have been unwise for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on considering it was possible the midfielder would be suspended of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a another booking.

Shifting Focus Upon Himself

But Bellingham made himself the center of attention. It was impossible to miss the 22-year-old’s annoyance upon understanding that he would be substituted for a teammate. He flung his arms in the air and while he accepted the coach's hand while heading to the touchline it was clear that the head coach was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He congratulated Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to head in his second goal, but everything else was counterproductive. There was no chance protesting was going to change Tuchel’s mind. Tuchel has repeatedly emphasized following squad protocols and the value of behaving correctly.

Facing Examination

He, left out of last month’s squad, is being watched carefully after returning to the fold in the current camp. Practically he has been on trial and his actions haven't benefited him with his response to coming off the pitch as England completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a tough opposition from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on if England function at their best with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested by the coach in the beginning. He has provided the squad organization and direction lately, employing a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton was in the starting lineup internationally and the positioning of John Stones as a part-time midfielder gave a passing resemblance to City's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze in the latter period but frequently appeared overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with an Albania midfielder early on. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents came after Bellingham gave the ball away. His caution came after he was dispossessed from Broja and fouled the attacker.

Substitutes Decide

Ultimately the bench quality proved crucial. The coach brought on Phil Foden, who seemed better suited to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and Saka. Eventually Saka provided a set-piece for Kane to break the deadlock. This served as a reminder that set pieces will play a key role at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

Still, though, the focus was on Bellingham. The quality of Rashford’s assist for the second goal was partly forgotten amid the drama of the player change. After the final whistle, all eyes were on him. Tuchel came over behind him and directed Bellingham in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their connection is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to abandon Bellingham yet. Yet whether he is willing to offer him the central position remains in doubt.