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Should Bellingham wants to force his way back into England’s strongest starting eleven, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was being shown following a night of uneven play in Tirana fell short of expectations.

"I’d rather not blow it out of proportion but I stick to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the players who substitute on," commented the coach. "Choices are taken and you need to comply as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no call for an outburst. Harry Kane had only moments earlier made it the national team two goals ahead in an inconsequential fixture, the game had six minutes to go and the player, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for fouling the Albanian striker. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. Indeed it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on because there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's annoyance upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. He threw his arms up and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the bench it was obvious that the manager did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Rashford for sending in the ball for Kane to head in his second of the night, but the rest was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has stressed repeatedly following squad protocols and the necessity of showing proper conduct.

Facing Examination

He, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the squad recently. Essentially he was being assessed and he has not done himself any favours by reacting to being taken off as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from Albania.

The System and the Setup

It means opinions are divided on if the squad operate most effectively with Bellingham in the team. What we saw was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach at the start. Under him, England have gained the squad structure and clarity over the past few matches, employing a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but there was a different feel against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, the midfielder made his first start at this level and the role of Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was faint echo to the Manchester club's historic treble-winning side.

Mixed Performance

Bellingham had ups and downs. He made a chance for Eze after the break but at times seemed overly eager to shine. Several hurried and errant passes. There was a needless bit of aggro against an opponent in the early stages. England's play was messy for much of the second half. One Albania chance followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card came after he lost the ball to Broja and fouled Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who appeared more comfortable to the spot occupied by Bellingham during the first half, and Saka. Later Saka provided a corner for Kane to score the first goal. It was a reminder that dead-ball situations will play a key role next summer.

Relationship Not Broken

Nevertheless, Bellingham was the story. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, the focus was on the midfielder. Tuchel came over behind him and pushed Bellingham to acknowledge the travelling England fans. Their connection is not broken. The coach isn't ready to give up on him at this stage. However, whether Tuchel is inclined to give him a starring role remains in doubt.