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If Jude Bellingham aims to fight his way into England’s strongest starting eleven, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His response upon realizing that the substitute board was being shown after an evening of inconsistency in Tirana was not good enough.

"I prefer not to make more out of it but I hold to my words 'attitude matters' and respect for the squad members who enter the game," Tuchel said. "Substitutions happen and you need to comply being a professional."

Bellingham has to learn. It was unnecessary for a tantrum. Kane had recently scored to make the national team two goals ahead in a meaningless qualifier, with only six minutes remaining and Bellingham, following an inconsistent display, received a caution for fouling an opponent. This could scarcely be called a controversial substitution. In fact it would have been unwise for the head coach to not substitute him because there was a chance he would make himself ineligible of the first match of the World Cup by getting a another booking.

Drawing Attention on Himself

But Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. There was no disguising the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that his replacement was ready for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline it was obvious that Tuchel did not appreciate it.

This represents the hurdle that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for Kane to head in the team's second, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It is not as if complaining was going to change Tuchel’s mind. The coach has repeatedly emphasized honoring the team structure and the importance of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, omitted from last month’s squad, has been under scrutiny upon his return to the team in the current camp. Practically he was being assessed and his actions haven't benefited him by reacting to coming off the pitch as England completed a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from the Albanian team.

The System and the Setup

As a result opinions are divided on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. What we saw was not definitive. There was experimentation by the coach at the start. He has given the team organization and direction over the past few matches, using a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed against Albania. The young defender was handed his international debut, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the use of John Stones as a makeshift midfielder meant there was similar look to Manchester City’s team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He set up a shot for Eberechi Eze during the second half but at times seemed too desperate to impress. He made many poorly executed passes. An unnecessary confrontation with an Albania midfielder at the beginning. The team looked disjointed for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania followed Bellingham squandered possession. His caution occurred when he lost the ball to Broja and brought down Broja.

Squad Strength Shows

Finally England’s depth made the difference. Tuchel threw on Foden, who seemed more naturally fitted to the position in which Bellingham operated earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. In time Saka whipped in a corner kick for the captain to score the first goal. It was a reminder that set pieces are going to be vital in the upcoming tournament.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The quality of Rashford's cross for Kane's goal was a little lost amid the drama of the player change. At the end, everyone was watching the midfielder. Tuchel came over to his side and directed the Real Madrid midfielder in the direction of the travelling England fans. Their relationship is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether he is willing to give him the central position is still uncertain.