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Should Bellingham aims to fight his way once again into the English best starting eleven, he would be wise to do away with the nonsense. His response when he saw that he was going up after an evening of mixed performance in the match against Albania fell short of expectations.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'attitude matters' and consideration for the squad members who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you need to comply when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put the Three Lions leading by two in a meaningless fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, after a below-par performance, had just been booked for fouling an opponent. This could scarcely be called a questionable change. In fact it would have been foolish for the head coach to not substitute him considering there was a chance Bellingham would make himself ineligible of the initial fixture of the World Cup by receiving a another booking.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham turned the spotlight on himself. It was impossible to miss the player's annoyance as he realized that he would be substituted for a teammate. His arms went up in exasperation and while he shook Tuchel’s hand on his way to the sideline it was obvious that the head coach was not impressed.

Here lies the test for Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for providing the assist for the captain to score his second of the night, but his other actions was harmful to his cause. It's not like arguing was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has talked so much about respecting team hierarchies and the importance of showing proper conduct.

Under Scrutiny

He, left out of the previous squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the fold in the current camp. Practically his place has been in question and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as the national team rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a spirited effort from their opponents.

The Coach's Plan

It means it's unclear on whether the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was inconclusive. Some new ideas were tested from Tuchel at the start. He has given the team organization and direction lately, building with a holding player, a box-to-box player, a No 10 and specialist wingers, but the approach changed in this match. The young defender was given his first cap, Adam Wharton made his first start internationally and the role of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a passing resemblance to City's team that won three trophies.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He made a chance for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared too desperate to impress. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. There was a needless bit of aggro with a rival player in the early stages. England were ragged for much of the second half. A scoring chance for the opponents followed Bellingham gave the ball away. The yellow card occurred when he lost the ball by Broja and committed a foul on Broja.

Substitutes Decide

In the end the bench quality made the difference. Tuchel introduced the Manchester City player, who appeared more naturally fitted to the role that Bellingham had played during the first half, and Bukayo Saka. In time Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to open the scoring. It was a reminder that set pieces will be crucial next summer.

Connection Remains

However, the focus was on Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford's cross for the second goal was somewhat overlooked due to the fuss of the substitution incident. When the match concluded, all eyes were on Bellingham. Tuchel walked up behind him and guided the player towards the English fans. The bond between them remains intact. The coach isn't ready to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether Tuchel is inclined to grant him the central position is not guaranteed.